ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220065
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
A woman accused of trying to extort millions of dollars from Bill Cosby is among the numerous students who have benefited from the comedian's belief that hope for young blacks lies in education.
Cosby, who holds a doctorate in education, has been speaking at graduation ceremonies for years and has backed up his efforts with donations of time and money - including $20 million to mostly black Spelman College in Atlanta.
But one act of kindness apparently backfired.
Autumn Jackson, 22, who received tuition money from Cosby for years, tried to extort $40 million from him, federal prosecutors charged. She claimed to be Cosby's illegitimate daughter and earlier this month threatened to sell her story. Cosby's lawyers contacted the FBI after getting another fax from Jackson on Thursday, the day Cosby's son, Ennis, was killed in an apparent robbery attempt in Los Angeles.
Cosby has denied he is her father.
Jackson was one of many talented students around the country to whom Cosby and his wife, Camille, have given aid.
Those chosen ``have to meet strict scholarship criteria,'' Joel Brokaw, a family spokesman in Los Angeles, said Tuesday. He said he did not know where Jackson attended college, what she studied or how the Cosbys heard of her.
``It's a philanthropic activity they do very privately. And they're very hands-on about it, monitoring their progress closely,'' he said, adding that he couldn't estimate how many young people have benefited over the years.
The 59-year-old Cosby, who grew up poor in Philadelphia, earned an estimated $33 million last year, according to Forbes magazine's list of the highest-paid celebrities.
In 1988, the Cosbys contributed $20 million to Spelman - the largest gift ever made to a black college. Cosby also has given benefit performances for nearby Morehouse College, from which his only son graduated after overcoming dyslexia.
Ennis Cosby was pursuing a doctorate in special education at Columbia University when he was shot to death early Thursday while changing a flat tire.
Year after year, the Cosbys have donated $100,000 here and $500,000 there to schools, cancer research, athletics, urban renewal - even helping victims of Northern California's 1989 earthquake.
At Temple University, where Cosby earned his bachelor's degree, they sponsor five scholarships a year. In addition, ``there are numerous students who are here because of his generosity,'' said university spokeswoman Harriet Goodheart.
Jackson, of Los Angeles, and an alleged accomplice, Jose Medina, 51, of Bethesda, Ohio, were arraigned Tuesday in federal court in New York and held without bail.
Medina's lawyer said his client was not part of any extortion conspiracy. Medina says he is a screenwriter, Neil Checkman said.
``I don't believe he necessarily knew that anything was going on,'' he said.
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