Of the many women bringing sexual assault allegations agains Bill Cosby, 14%—according to Fox 411—were working as Playboy Bunnies, working at the Playboy Club, or present at the Playboy Mansion at the time of their alleged rape.
Asked in 2014 about Playboy’s connection to the sexual assaults, Hugh Hefner, who considers Cosby a “good friend,” declared that he “would never tolerate this kind of behavior, regardless of who was involved.”
Fox 411, the celebrity and entertainment site of Fox News (sorry, sorry, sorry), reached out to attorney Leo Terrell to find out whether or not these women had legal recourse against Playboy and Hugh Hefner:
“Playboy had a duty to provide a safe and hostile-free workplace for the Bunnies,” Terrell told FOX411. “The victims have the burden to establish knowledge on the part of Playboy. For example, did any of the victims [complain] to management about Mr. Cosby?”
[…]
Terrell noted that like any other defendant, Playboy would be protected by the statute of limitations should a case be brought. The statute of limitations for the vast majority of the current allegations against Cosby have run out.
Terrell also clarified, “I have seen no evidence where victims have accused Playboy of failure to take corrective action.”
Actually, there are Cosby accusers who certainly brought their complaints to management. As Cosby accuser PJ Matsen tells New York Magazine:
“I told my supervisor at the Playboy Club what he did to me, and you know what she said to me? She said: ‘You do know that that’s Hefner’s best friend, right?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She says to me: ‘Nobody’s going to believe you. I suggest you shut your mouth.’ ”
Then there’s the open investigation into the sexual assault of Chloe Goins, a woman who was allegedly raped by Cosby at the Playboy Mansion in 2008. Hers is the only case that falls within the statute of limitations. So far, there has been no confirmation that any higher-ups at Playboy has been or will be indicted in the investigation.
Contact the author at [email protected].
Image via Getty.