A National Enquirer had in 2005 interviewed two women who had claimed to have been drugged and then sexually abused by the actor-comedian. But the Guardian alleged that  'lawyers acting for Bill Cosby cajoled' the newspaper into 'ditching' the 'groundbreaking investigation'. A much softer celebrity interview was published instead in which the actor dismissed allegations as being 'misinterpretations' made for financial gain. The accusations have only just been revived - some nine years later.

Lawyer of the year

The Guardian tried to get a comment from 'Martin Singer, Cosby's Los Angeles lawyer who led the negotiations over the Enquirer article' but he was not available. His biography at Lavely & Singer shows that the Beverly Hills Bar Association named him the entertainment lawyer of the year in 2012. Sources: The Guardian and  Lavely & Singer