In a statement Wednesday, Scott Baio accused Nicole Eggert of lying to advance her career when she accused him of sexual misconduct, after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges against him.
“Nicole Eggert dedicated herself to destroying my reputation and harming my family, and she has failed,” Baio said about his former “Charles in Charge” co-star in the statement, posted to his social media accounts. “The Los Angeles District Attorney’s conclusion to their investigation of her ever-changing stories marks the end of a sad chapter. Along the way, Eggert has defamed and harassed my family, friends, my wife’s charitable foundation, the families of the children that foundation helps, and many others. It’s hard to imagine anyone taking her seriously again.”
“For the last several months, my advisors have conducted their own investigation, which is well documented and was presented to the police and District Attorney. It showed that Nicole Eggert’s statements were part of a plan created long before her police report, with the intent of relaunching her own career,” Baio continued. “To reiterate: her false charges were conceived in advance for personal gain. We also presented multiple witness statements who knew Eggert well at the time the show was made, and presented an entirely different portrait of her behavior and motivations for her false charges against me.”
Baio also suggested that Eggert’s accusations might serve to harm victims of sexual assault and harassment.
“Unlike Nicole Eggert, most claims of sexual assault and harassment are honest, and my heart goes out to those who have been harmed,” he wrote. “As bad as Nicole Eggert’s actions against me were, she has hurt them even more if they are doubted for even one moment because of her untrue allegations. I hope that does not happen, and I will do my best to support them.”
According to paperwork obtained by TheWrap, the DA’s office chose to decline the case on Monday because the statute of limitations had expired.
During an interview with NBC’s Megyn Kelly in January, Eggert said that Baio penetrated her with his finger when she was 14, and of other sexual misconduct while on the set of the 1980s sitcom. Eggert filed a police report against Baio in February, and paperwork from the DA’s office indicated that she accused Baio of sexually assaulting her “in various ways between the ages of 14 and 17.”
Baio had denied Eggert’s accusations, saying that he had a consensual encounter with Eggert when she was of age.
In a Facebook Live video in January,the actor said that Eggert “seduced me,” though she wasn’t a minor at the time.
“My reputation is being damaged, my family is being put through this, and I’m done,” Baio added.
Here is my statement about the DAs determination dismissing Nicole Eggert false claims. pic.twitter.com/O0sjiTKSFw
— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) June 20, 2018