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Bill Cosby ordered to pay $19.25 million in civil verdict

newsMar 23, 2026

A California jury ordered Bill Cosby to pay Donna Motsinger $19.25 million in a sexual battery lawsuit. Motsinger says Cosby assaulted her in 1972 when she worked as a waitress at a Sausalito restaurant. The civil verdict holds Cosby financially accountable decades after the alleged abuse. The ruling matters because it grants survivors a path to damages and reinforces accountability for powerful accused figures.

Key Highlights

California jury ordered Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million in damages.
Donna Motsinger said the sexual battery occurred at a Sausalito restaurant in 1972.
Verdict is a major civil win for survivors of decades old sexual abuse.