LOS ANGELES (AP) — 4 former housekeepers of Smokey Robinson allege in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the Motown music luminary repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them whereas they labored for him.
The swimsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom seeks a minimum of $50 million in damages over the alleged assaults, which the ladies say happened between 2007 and 2024, and labor violations together with a hostile work surroundings, illegally lengthy hours and lack of pay.
A message searching for remark from a consultant for the 85-year-old Robinson was not instantly answered.
The 4 ladies every say that Robinson would wait till he was alone with them in his Los Angeles home then sexually assault and rape them over their objections. All mentioned they finally give up over the assaults, although in some instances it took a number of years. And all mentioned they feared coming ahead over fears of retaliation, public disgrace and potential results on their immigration standing.
All 4 ladies withheld their authorized names citing privateness considerations and are recognized as Jane Does in courtroom paperwork.
The lawsuit additionally names Robinson’s spouse Frances Robinson as a defendant, alleging that she enabled his habits regardless of realizing about previous sexual misconduct. It additionally blames her for the hostile work surroundings, saying she berated them with language that included ethnic slurs.
One lady mentioned she labored for the Robinsons from 2012 till 2024, and was assaulted a minimum of 20 occasions in that span. One other mentioned she labored for them from 2014 till 2020, and was assaulted a minimum of 23 occasions. One other mentioned she labored for them for a 12 months earlier than quitting in 2024 and was assaulted a minimum of seven occasions. The fourth lady, who mentioned she additionally acted as Frances Robinson’s private assistant, hairdresser and cook dinner, labored for them for 18 years earlier than resigning in 2024. She cited related experiences to the opposite ladies, however didn’t say how typically she was assaulted.
The swimsuit seeks damages based mostly on sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and different allegations.
Robinson, a member of each the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame and the Songwriters Corridor of Fame, was among the many greatest hitmakers of the Sixties — each along with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs together with “Tears of a Clown” and “The Tracks of My Tears.”
He was a central a part of the Motown Information music machine in his hometown of Detroit as an artist, producer and songwriter for different artists.
