Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is facing two lawsuits from women who claim he assaulted them by groping and forcibly kissing them in separate incidents in New York City. The first plaintiff agreed to wait on Gooding Jr.'s table at the LAVO nightclub in September 2018 after her coworker complained of his previous inappropriate behavior towards her. According to court papers, the actor forcibly kissed the woman by putting his tongue in her mouth without consent or permission. Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty to a downgraded charge of second-degree harassment related to the incident in April 2022.

In the second lawsuit, plaintiff Kelsey Harbert accused Gooding Jr. of placing his hand on her leg and groping her breast at the Magic House Rooftop Bar & Lounge in June 2019. The court filing states that Gooding Jr., who was intoxicated, ignored Harbert's attempts to remove his hand and even tried to kiss her hand in full view of his girlfriend. Harbert filed a police report, leading to Gooding Jr.'s arrest for forcible touching. The incident was included in his 2022 plea deal, where he admitted to subjecting Harbert to non-consensual physical contact.

Both plaintiffs are seeking jury trials for damages related to lost wages, emotional distress, punitive damages, liquidated damages, and attorney's fees resulting from Gooding Jr.'s behavior. The lawsuits were filed under the terms of New York's Adult Survivors Act, which is set to expire. Attorneys for Gooding Jr. have not responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuits come after Gooding Jr. settled a federal lawsuit just before trial, where he was accused of raping a woman at the Mercer Hotel in 2013. One of the plaintiffs, Kelsey Harbert, previously came forward with accusations against the actor, leading to a criminal case in 2019. However, the actor avoided jail time and completed an alcohol and behavior modification counseling course as part of his plea deal. The Manhattan District Attorney's office had initially charged him with six counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse and forcible touching for his alleged actions against three victims at New York hotspots.

Harbert's lawsuit describes the incident at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge, where Gooding Jr. allegedly grabbed her thigh and touched her breast without consent. She reported the incident to security at the bar and filed a police report. The other plaintiff's complaint relates to an incident at LAVO, where Gooding Jr. forcibly kissed her without consent. He was charged with forcible touching and pleaded guilty to a charge related to the incident.

The lawsuits were filed before the expiration of the Adult Survivors Act, which created a one-year lookback window for accusers to sue alleged sexual abusers despite the statute of limitations on their claims running out. Attorneys Gloria Allred and Casey Wolnowski, representing the plaintiffs, expressed their clients' desire for justice and accountability in their civil cases, stating that they will fight vigorously for them.