The one-year window made possible by the Adult Survivors Act, which was signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in May 2022, came to a close this month.
As announced at the time, the Adult Survivors Act’s “one-year lookback window” started six months after the date of signing and was applicable regardless of when the alleged abuse happened. During that period, per New York Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, courthouse doors were “flung open so you can confront your abusers and seek the justice that was too long denied you.”
In recent months, lawsuits against NYC Mayor Eric Adams and others have made headlines. Below, we take a look at Adams' suit and other instances of Adult Survivors Act legal action involving public figures. According to stats cited by the New York Times this week, over 3,000 civil suits were filed during the one-year window, including those against prisons and hospitals in the state.
Donald Trump
In May, a jury found the former POTUS was liable after he was accused of sexual abuse by writer E. Jean Carroll. The abuse was alleged to have occurred in 1996, with Trump calling the eventual $5 million judgment “a disgrace.”
Rudy Giuliani
Also in May, Giuliani, former mayor of New York and Borat 2 guest star, was accused by a former employee of sexual abuse and forcible touching, among other alleged actions.
Diddy
In November, a settlement was reported to have been reached following news that Diddy had been accused of rape and abuse in a lawsuit filed by Cassie. In a statement, Diddy's lawyer, Ben Brafman, said the decision to settle "is in no way an admission of wrongdoing."
Diddy has since been sued by two additional women, both of whom have accused the Bad Boy Records founder of sexual assault.
Jimmy Iovine
According to a lawsuit, the Interscope Records co-founder "sexually abused, forcibly touched, and subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation" a woman identified only as Jane Doe.
An Iovine rep later told Rolling Stone they were "shocked and baffled" by the allegations.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo is accused of sexually harassing a former executive assistant in a three-page summons, per the Associated Press. In response to the lawsuit from Brittany Commisso, the former New York governor’s lawyer called the allegations “provably false.”
Eric Adams
Adams is accused of sexually assaulting a City of New York employee in 1993, with the legal action calling for $5 million in relief. Adams later told reporters the alleged assault “absolutely did not happen.”
Harvey Weinstein
Actress Julia Ormond accused Weinstein of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in October. Disney and Miramax are also named in the suit, which accuses the disgraced film producer of sexual battery in 1995.
Bill Cosby
The convicted comedian is accused of assault, battery, false imprisonment, and more in a recent lawsuit from Joan Tarshis, who previously accused Cosby of sexual assault in 2014.
Axl Rose
Sheila Kennedy, a former Penthouse model, accused the Guns N’ Roses frontman of raping her in 1989. The singer’s lawyer, Alan S. Gutman, said the lawsuit was centered on “fictional claims.”
Neil Portnow
A lawsuit against Portnow sees the former Recording Academy CEO being accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a musician identified only as Jane Doe.
Mike Tyson
A woman alleged in a lawsuit this January that Tyson "violently raped" her in a limousine in the early '90s. At the time, Tyson's reps had not issued a statement on the suit.
Russell Brand
The comedian and YouTube personality is accused of sexually assaulting a woman who worked as an extra on the 2011 movie Arthur, a remake of the 1981 film of the same name.
Jamie Foxx
An ex-Arista Records exec has alleged that Reid sexually assaulted her, then retaliated against her when she declined his advances.
Terry Richardson
In November, Richardson was accused of sexual assault in separate lawsuits from two models who previously worked with the photographer.
Cuba Gooding Jr.
The Oscar-winning actor is accused of two separate incidents of alleged sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed in November. In the suits, Gooding is alleged to have forcibly kissed a woman in 2018 and groped a different woman in 2019.
Steven Tyler
A former teen model alleges the Aerosmith singer forcibly kissed and groped her in 1975, when she was 17.
