Convicted Comedian Bill Cosby’s Net Worth
Once known as “America’s Dad,” many people nowadays feel Bill Cosby is anything but fatherly.
Throughout the last few years, over 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual assaults they say took place from 1965 to 2008. In June of this year, Cosby came face-to-face with one of his accusers in a Pennsylvania courtroom. The proceedings ended in a mistrial; however, Cosby has been retried and convicted.
Read on to learn more about the wealthy celebrity’s trouble with the law and about the fortune he has amassed over his long lifetime.
Bill Cosby Net Worth: $400 Million
For the bulk of his show business career, Bill Cosby news was largely positive. A beloved sitcom dad and longtime spokesperson for the Jell-O brand, Cosby was admired and trusted by fans. In 2014, however, this all came to a screeching halt. Women began coming forth in droves to accuse the seemingly decent and moral star of sexual assault dating back decades.
With a net worth of $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Cosby has much to lose.
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.”
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 Show
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.
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. According to Forbes, Cosby continued to make millions from his eponymous sitcom until it was pulled from television lineups.
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Bill Cosby Trial
In early June 2017, Cosby faced three three counts of aggravated sexual assault charges brought by Andrea Constand in a Montgomery County, Penn., 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.
Bill Cosby faced up to 10 years in jail and a $25,000 fine; however, he was not given any sentence, as the jury was deadlocked after six days of deliberations. Judge Steven T. O’Neill declared a mistrial. The case will be retried beginning November 6.
Cosby will also soon face a civil case in California. This case is brought by Judy Huth, who alleges Coxby sexually attacked her in 1974 at the home of Hugh Hefner. California’s former statute of limitations have 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 July 30.
Next Up: A Look at the Fortunes of People Who Won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Convicted Comedian Bill Cosby’s Net Worth
