How Rich Is Bill Cosby After His Release From Prison?
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Jennifer Taylor
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Once known as “America’s Dad,” actor and comedian Bill Cosby fell from grace in recent years as he faced accusations from more than 60 women that he sexually assaulted them between 1965 and 2008.
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In April 2018, Cosby was found guilty on three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Andrea Constand. Five months later, the then-81-year-old celebrity was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison.
In June, after more than two years in prison, Cosby was released. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction after finding that a previous prosecutor had agreed not to charge Cosby in return for Cosby’s deposition in a civil court case. The deposition was later used against him in the criminal trial, CNN reported. The agreement also shut down future trials for this case.
At the time of his release, Cosby tweeted, “I have always maintained my innocence … Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law.”
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However, Sean Andrade, a Los Angeles-based litigation attorney, told Yahoo! Finance that the decision is “far from an exoneration” and that Cosby can face additional criminal or civil lawsuits from others.
In October, actress Lili Bernard filed a separate suit against Cosby, alleging that he drugged and raped her in Atlantic City during the summer of 1990, CNN reported.
Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, reiterated Cosby’s proclaimed innocence and issued a statement saying, “This is just another attempt to abuse the legal process, by opening up the flood gates for people, who never presented an ounce of evidence, proof, truth and/or facts, in order to substantiate their alleged allegations.”
Bernard is seeking $125 million for psychological, mental and physical damages, according to CNN.
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Bill Cosby Net Worth: $400 Million
How has Cosby’s incarceration and his release from jail affected his total net worth? According to most accounts, including Celebrity Net Worth reports, it hasn’t. The star remains worth roughly $400 million despite having paid a $1 million bond after his arrest and another $75,000 in fines, according to Money.
Bill Cosby Stand-Up Comedy
Born on July 12, 1937, Bill Cosby began his stand-up comedy career in the early 1960s. That career spanned for five decades and included a whopping nine Grammy Awards. In recent years, Forbes estimated that Cosby earned at least $7 million from his “Far From Finished” tour between November 2013 and November 2014.
Ironically, a stand-up comedy routine helped lead to Cosby’s swift public demise. During a 2014 show at a Philadelphia comedy club, Hannibal Buress performed a routine that accused Cosby of sexually assaulting women. A clip of the performance went viral, reigniting a firestorm of allegations from victims. Buress, who is known for his role on the TV show “Broad City” and recently appeared in the “Baywatch” movie reboot, told GQ magazine that he was not a “hero” for helping give voice to Cosby’s accusers — just a “decent guy.”
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It’s possible Bill Cosby’s net worth hasn’t seen its last cash infusion from stand-up, though. In November 2016, his attorney filed a court motion stating that Cosby plans to resume his career when he’s cleared of all wrongdoing.
Bill Cosby Shows
Cosby’s successful stand-up career opened the door for his television debut. For three seasons, Cosby starred in the show “I Spy,” which won a Golden Globe for best TV show in 1967. In 1969, he starred in “The Bill Cosby Show,” in which he portrayed gym teacher Chet Kincaid. Cosby also lent his voice to the character Fat Albert and hosted the animated program “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids” from 1972 to 1985.
From 1984 to 1992, Cosby portrayed the character for which he is best known: Dr. Heathcliff “Cliff” Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.” A smash hit, he won two Best Actor Golden Globes for his work on the series.
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Cosby’s total profits from “The Cosby Show” are unknown, though its runaway success indicates that they were quite high. In 1990, NBC paid more than $2.6 million per episode to renew “The Cosby Show” for a seventh season, according to the Los Angeles Times. Forbes estimated that Cosby earned $4 million per month that same year from syndicated reruns of the show. In 1991, NBC paid $2 million per episode for season eight of “The Cosby Show.”
Reruns continued to air on TV Land until November 2014 and BET’s Centric network until July 2015. Cosby continued to make millions from his eponymous sitcom until it was pulled from television lineups, according to Forbes.
“The Cosby Show” alumnus Geoffrey Owens made headlines in September when he was reported to be working at a Trader Joe’s grocery store in New Jersey. Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux from 1985 to 1992, said that the Cosby scandal impacted him financially, People magazine reported. He had previously been receiving royalties from “The Cosby Show.” After the show’s reruns were pulled from syndication, Owens took the grocery job. Actor and director Tyler Perry responded to the news by offering Owens a job via Twitter.
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Bill Cosby: Real Estate and Artwork
Throughout his incarceration, Cosby maintained an extensive artwork collection and also owns more than $100 million in real estate, which helped preserve his net worth during his time in prison.
He and his wife have properties in Beverly Hills and Pennsylvania, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The couple also owns an art collection with an estimated worth of $150 million. Pieces in the collection, which Cosby and his wife started in the 1960s, including art by Rembrandt, Picasso, Renoir and Matisse.
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Bill Cosby Trial
In April 2018, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated sexual assault on charges brought by Andrea Constand in a Montgomery County, Pa., courtroom. The former director of the Temple University women’s basketball team, Constand accused Cosby of inviting her to his home in 2004, where she says he drugged and molested her. Cosby admitted to the sexual encounter but claimed it was consensual.
Cosby was released from prison in June, but he continues to face suits from women, including, most recently, actress Lili Bernard, who alleges sexual assault and rape
Cosby will also soon face a civil case in California. This case is brought by Judy Huth, who alleges Cosby sexually attacked her in 1974 at the home of Hugh Hefner. California’s former statute of limitations has passed on Huth’s claims; however, she was able to file the lawsuit in 2014 because she was a minor at the time of the alleged incident. The case is set to begin on on April 18, 2022, according to USA Today.
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Dawn Allcot and Ruth Sarreal contributed to the reporting for this article.
