Former Playboy Bunny Says Bill Cosby Raped Her and 12 Others
A woman claiming Bill Cosby raped her and a dozen other Playboy Club waitresses came forward yesterday, saying, "I can name off 12 that I know of, 12 former bunnies."
According to P.J. Masten, she was working as a "bunny manager" at Playboy's Chicago location when the comedian served her a drugged drink in 1979. Awaking hours later "very groggy and very sore," Masten says she found herself "naked with this disgusting man next to me."
"There were bruise marks all over me. I knew I was raped."
As to Playboy, Masten says she told her supervisor soon after she claimed Cosby had drugged and raped her at a Chicago hotel.
"She said to me, 'You know that's Hef's best friend, right?'" Masten recounted, referring to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. "I said, 'Yes.' She said, 'Well, nobody is going to believe you. I suggest you keep your mouth shut.'"
Connecting with other former bunnies on Facebook and at reunions, Masten says several women shared similar stories of being raped by Cosby, but at least a dozen remain "ashamed to come forward, frightened to come forward."
On Tuesday, a woman in L.A. County filed a civil lawsuit claiming Cosby had raped her at the Playboy mansion when she was 15 years old. Last night, she met with LAPD detectives investigating the alleged crime.
"We don't turn people away because things are out of statute. You come to us, especially with a sexual allegation, we will work with you," said Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck on Thursday. "We address these things seriously, and it's not just because it's Mr. Cosby."
