Court orders Bill Cosby to pay $19m over sex abuse claim

A California jury has delivered a major verdict against Bill Cosby today, Monday, March 23, 2026, finding him liable in a civil trial for a sexual assault that occurred over 50 years ago.

While the initial reports focused on a $19.25 million award, the total has since skyrocketed following a second phase of deliberations. Here are the breakdown and details:

The Verdict Breakdown
Compensatory Damages ($19.25M): This morning, the jury awarded Donna Motsinger $17.5 million for past suffering and $1.75 million for future suffering.

Punitive Damages ($40M): Just hours later, the jury returned with an additional $40 million in punitive damages, intended to punish the defendant for "malice, oppression, or fraud."

Total Award: Bill Cosby has been ordered to pay a combined $59.25 million

The Case Details
The Accuser: Donna Motsinger, now 84, was a server at a restaurant in Sausalito, California, in 1972.

The Incident: Motsinger testified that Cosby invited her to a show, gave her wine and what she believed were aspirin (but were actually sedatives), and she later woke up at home partially undressed.

Legal Context: The lawsuit was made possible by recent California legislation that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for decades-old sexual assault claims.

Current StatusCosby, now 88, did not testify during the trial and has consistently denied all allegations of misconduct, maintaining that any encounters were consensual. His lead attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, has already expressed disappointment and confirmed that their team fully intends to appeal the verdict.This is the largest civil penalty Cosby has faced to date, following a 2022 judgment where he was ordered to pay $500,000 to another accuser, Judy Huth.