Prominent Figures Face Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Under New York’s Adult Survivors Act

For the past year, New York’s Adult Survivors Act had temporarily suspended the typical legal deadlines, providing sexual assault survivors a final opportunity to file lawsuits for misconduct that had occurred years or even decades ago. As the law expired just last week, a staggering total of over 3,700 legal claims were submitted, with the final wave including accusations against high-profile celebrities and a few politicians.

The list of accused individuals featured both familiar names from past #MeToo scandals and some new additions. Additionally, a significant number of claims emerged from former prisoners alleging assaults within jails and prisons.

Here, we offer an overview of some of the more notable lawsuits:

Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump faced one of the earliest lawsuits under this law when it was enacted in November last year. A writer accused him of raping her in a department store dressing room. Initially, E. Jean Carroll had sued Trump for defamation because the alleged incident dated back to the mid-90s, and the statute of limitations had long passed. However, the Adult Survivors Act paved the way for a sexual assault lawsuit. In May, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll, awarding her $5 million, including defamation damages.

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the prominent hip-hop music mogul, was recently sued by three women. R&B singer Cassie filed the first case in federal court, alleging beatings and rape during a long-term relationship, which Combs denied. They announced a settlement the following day. Two more women filed lawsuits just before the law expired, accusing Combs of sexual abuse incidents dating back to the early 1990s. Combs’ spokesperson denied these allegations.

Harvey Weinstein

Already convicted of rape in New York and Los Angeles, Harvey Weinstein faced a lawsuit in October from Julia Ormond, who accused the movie producer of derailing her career after a sexual assault in 1995. Weinstein, currently in prison in New York, vehemently denied the allegations through his attorney.

Jamie Foxx

Among the surge of lawsuits filed in the law’s final days was one against performer Jamie Foxx. A woman claimed that he had groped her under her clothes after she asked for a photo at a New York City rooftop bar in 2015. A representative for Foxx insisted that the alleged incident never occurred.

Steven Tyler

An accusation dating back to the 1970s emerged against Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler. A woman alleged that he forcibly kissed and groped her when she was 17 in Manhattan in the summer of 1975. Tyler has not publicly commented on the accusation.

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby faced a lawsuit from Joan Tarshis, a young comedy writer, who said he drugged and assaulted her on two occasions around 1970. Although she had initially made these accusations in 2014, the statute of limitations had previously limited her ability to sue him. A representative for Cosby did not respond to questions about the claim.

Russell Brand

British comedian and actor Russell Brand was sued by a woman who claimed to be an extra on the set of the movie “Arthur” in 2010, in which Brand starred. She accused Brand of exposing himself and assaulting her in a bathroom. Brand has not commented on the suit but mentioned that his relationships were “always consensual” in response to earlier claims in British media outlets.

L.A. Reid

Music executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid faced a lawsuit from a woman, Drew Dixon, who had worked for him when he was the head of Arista Records. Dixon alleged that Reid sexually assaulted her twice in 2001, leading to the derailment of her promising music industry career. Reid has not commented on the lawsuit but previously denied Dixon’s claims when she first made them in 2017.

Axl Rose

Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose was accused by a former model of raping her in 1989 in a New York City hotel room. The woman, Sheila Kennedy, claimed that the attack had caused her anxiety and depression, referencing it in the past. An attorney for Rose vehemently denied the allegation, stating it was false and never happened.

Mike Tyson

Boxer Mike Tyson faced a lawsuit from a woman who alleged he raped her in Albany, New York, in the early 1990s after meeting at a club and being in his limousine. There was no comment from representatives for Tyson. Tyson had previously spent three years in prison after being convicted of rape in 1992.

Andrew Cuomo

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid accusations of sexual misconduct, was sued by his former executive assistant, Brittany Commisso. She claimed to have experienced sexual harassment and unwanted touching from Cuomo, which led to retaliation when she reported the incidents. Cuomo’s attorney dismissed the suit as a “cash grab,” and Cuomo denied the sexual misconduct allegations.

Neil Portnow

Former Grammy Awards CEO Neil Portnow faced a lawsuit from a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2018. The accuser, a musician not named in the suit, alleged that Portnow drugged her in a hotel room and assaulted her. A representative for Portnow, who stepped down in 2019, called the accusations “completely false.”

Rudy Giuliani

Former New York City Mayor and personal attorney for Trump, Rudy Giuliani, faced a lawsuit from a woman who claimed he coerced her into sexual activity while she worked off the books for him. Noelle Dunphy, the woman in question, asserted that Giuliani made suggestive comments and demanded sex during her tenure as a business development director and public relations consultant between 2019 and 2021. Giuliani’s spokesperson strongly denied the allegations.

Note: The Big Big News typically refrains from naming alleged victims of sexual assault in stories unless those individuals choose to share their stories publicly, as Dunphy, Commisso, Kennedy, Dixon, Carroll, Ormond, Cassie, and Tarshis have done.

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More about Sexual misconduct lawsuits

• [New York’s Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Donald Trump lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Sean “Diddy” Combs lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Harvey Weinstein lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Jamie Foxx lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Bill Cosby lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Russell Brand lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [L.A. Reid lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Axl Rose lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Mike Tyson lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Andrew Cuomo lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Neil Portnow lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)
• [Rudy Giuliani lawsuit under Adult Survivors Act](link to relevant news article)