Bill Cosby accusers speak out in New York Magazine
New York Magazine had to use social media websites to relay stories from several women Bill Cosby is alleged to have sexually assaulted after a hacker took credit for taking down the publication's website just prior to the latest issue going online.
The website was impossible to access on Monday morning amid reports that a hacker had infiltrated it just as the publication was set to post a photo online of 35 of Cosby's accusers, along with their stories.
News of both the cyberattack and the admission that the website is trying to fix "technical difficulties," came via tweets from the magazine and the Twitter account @Vikingdom2016.
The story was posted online Sunday night.
The alleged hacker, ThreatKing, told The Daily Dot that the site's platform was overwhelmed late Sunday.
ThreatKing told The Daily Dot he carried out the so-called "distributed denial-of-service attack" over his hatred of New York and its "many stupid people." He said the attack was in response to him being mistreated in the city during a visit.
The magazine managed to get around the technical glitch by posting audio of some of the stories on Instagram. It later made all 35 stories available on Tumblr. Readers were directed to these sources through Twitter.
Model Beverly Johnson posted a tweet saying she spoke to someone at the magazine whose email account has "also been hacked," adding "they are working to get the site back up."'
Shortly after 1 p.m. ET, the alleged hacker said he would stop his cyber attacks on the magazine.
The July 27 issue of the publication has a black and white cover photo showing 35 women seated in rows. The headline reads, "Cosby: The Women. An unwelcome sisterhood."
Cosby, 78, has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault in incidents dating back more than four decades. The entertainer has never been charged with a crime, and the statute of limitations on most of the accusations has expired.
Earlier this month, The Associated Press obtained documents that revealed Cosby acknowledging he secured Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women he wanted to have sex with. He never admitted to giving the drug to anyone.
