Bartender Who Accused Cuba Gooding Jr. of Groping Her Wins Default Judgment in Civil Suit

A woman who accused Cuba Gooding Jr. of groping her won a default judgment in her civil suit against the actor, 53, after Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Alexander Tisch ruled in her favor, according to a judgment document obtained by In Touch.

Cuba’s defense attorney, Mark Heller, did not immediately respond to In Touch’s request for comment, but told Page Six in response to the court ruling that “the claim is baseless and the judgment is worthless.”

According to Page Six, Cuba had not entered any motions on his own behalf, nor had he named an attorney for the civil suit. In January, his accuser in the suit, bartender Natasha Ashworth, had submitted the request for a default motion obtained by In Touch, which was granted on Thursday, June 3, by Tisch for Nastasha’s claims of assault and battery.

However, Tisch denied Natasha’s motion for a default judgment on her claim of emotional distress.

In Natasha’s suit, which was filed in October 2019, she claimed Cuba allegedly groped her backside while she served him at Tao Downtown Nightclub in 2018.

Natasha is one of several women who have come forward accusing Cuba of groping. In August 2020, Manhattan prosecutors said that 30 women had come forward with accusations of unwanted touching against him, according to CNN.

In addition to Natasha’s civil suit, Cuba was charged with three counts of forcible touching and three counts of sex abuse to the third degree from three different women.

Cuba has pleaded not guilty to all six charges and has denied all allegations.

The movie star had initially turned himself in to the NYPD’s Special Victim Unit in July 2019 after a woman claimed he allegedly groped her breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge on 7th Avenue in Midtown. He was later released without bail.

“I have known Cuba for almost 30 years, and his conduct towards women is always respectful,” Heller told People at the time. “He respects women, and he would never engage in that type of activity.”

He also added that he was “frankly shocked the prosecutor would consider a case like this.”

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