Getty ImagesBill Cosby has filed a defamation suit against Beverly Johnson more than a year after the former model alleged that he drugged her in the ‘80s.
According to court documents obtained by E! News, Cosby's lawyers allege that Johnson "thrust herself back into the spotlight in attempt to revive her flagging career as a model, actress and public personality" by joining the campaign to "assassinate" Cosby's reputation.
Documents claim Johnson's accusations "are entirely fabricated and nothing more than an opportunistic attempt to resuscitate her own career and benefit herself financially from the wave of media attention surrounding her false allegations against Crosby."
In addition, claims are made that Johnson is benefiting financially from sharing her story. The Grammy and Emmy Award winner is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and a court order that would stop Johnson from making future statements about the actor.
Johnson's rep tells E! News, "I am aware of the statements from Bill Cosby. In cases of rape and abuse, abusers will do whatever they can to intimidate and weaken their victims to force them to stop fighting. I ask for your support of all of the victims involved. Thank you."
Back in December 2014, the 63-year-old model alleged in an essay posted on Vanity Fair's website that Cosby drugged her in the mid-1980s. Nothing further happened because she realized what was happening and unequivocally told him off.
In a later interview with the Today show, Johnson explained why she finally went public with her story after so many years of silence.
"At the time, I felt that it would hurt my career. Most certainly he was a very powerful man," she shared. "I most certainly did not think of my legacy as the first African-American supermodel to grace the cover of Vogue—and drugged by Bill Cosby."
She continued, "I wanted him to know that I knew that he had drugged me and I just went on survival mode. I woke up the next day. I was totally disoriented, and then when I remembered exactly what happened, I was devastated and disappointed."
Cosby's latest lawsuit comes one week after he decided to countersue seven additional accusers for defamation.
To this day, the comedian has not been charged with a crime and has denied the decades-old allegations of sexual assault and attempted sexual assaults that have surfaced over the past year.