Smokey Robinson hit with lawsuit by former housekeepers accusing him of sexual assault

Smokey Robinson is facing a lawsuit filed by four former employees, who have leveled serious allegations against him, including sexual assault and labor violations.

The complaint was lodged on Tuesday, May 6, in the Los Angeles County Superior Court by four individuals, referred to as Jane Doe 1 through 4 in the legal documents.

The plaintiffs are accusing the 85-year-old Motown icon of negligence, sexual battery and assault, false imprisonment, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, gender violence, creating a hostile work environment, civil rights law violations, and labor violations related to wages, breaks, and meal periods.

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All four women are seeking damages from Smokey, whose real name is William Robinson Jr., for the alleged harm caused and the physical, emotional, and financial impact of these damages, demanding no less than $50 million.

The 27-page complaint, reviewed by The Mirror US, also names Smokey's wife, Frances Robinson, as a defendant. The lawsuit accuses Frances of "regularly screaming ... in a hostile manner, using ethnically pejorative words and language" and alleges that she failed "to take the appropriate corrective action to prevent Defendant Smokey Robinson's deviant misconduct," reports the Mirror US.

Jane Doe 2 (JD2) claims that Smokey would threaten her with his wife's "mean" behavior if she declined his sexual advances.

All four women were employed as housekeepers by the Robinsons, and Jane Doe 4 (JD4) took on additional roles as Frances' personal assistant, cook, and hairdresser. The alleged incidents of assault span several years, with JD1, who worked from January 2023 to February 2024, claiming to have been sexually assaulted at least seven times.

JD2, employed from May 2014 to February 2020, alleged she was sexually assaulted at least 23 times. JD3, who worked from February 2012 to April 2024, reported being sexually assaulted at least 20 times.

JD4, who was employed the longest, from October 2006 to April 2024, alleged that Smokey repeatedly sexually assaulted her. She also alleged in the document that the sexual assaults took place at his properties in Ventura County's Bell Canyon and Las Vegas.

The four women cited the alleged sexual assault, harassment, and hostile workplace environment as reasons for their forced resignation. The alleged rapes reportedly occurred in various areas of Smokey's Chatsworth home, specifically where "closed-circuit cameras weren't located" or were absent.

Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses the Robinsons of failing to provide fair compensation, alleging they "failed to pay minimum or overtime wages for hours worked" and did not offer rest or lunch breaks. The plaintiffs claim they often worked on holidays without receiving the holiday pay rate.

John Harris, a lawyer representing the four former employees, spoke at a May 6 news conference in Los Angeles about the lawsuit. He stated that the employees "were Hispanic women employed as housekeepers earning below minimum wage. As low-wage workers in vulnerable positions they lacked the resources and options to protect themselves."

Smokey Robinson's attorney, Christopher Frost told The Express US: "We are responding on behalf of our clients Smokey and Frances Robinson. We will have more to say in the coming days as we make our legal response, and in time Mr. Robinson will respond in his own words. As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon--$50 million dollars, to be exact. Through this process we have seen the bizarre theatrics of yesterday’s news conference, as the plaintiffs’ attorneys outlined vile, false allegations against Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, trying to enlist the public as an unwitting participant in the media circus they are trying to create. We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold.

"We will be addressing the numerous aspects of the complaint that defy credulity as well as issues relating to purported timelines, inconsistencies, and relationships between the plaintiffs and others.

"We will be asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuit. We will also be asking the Court to address that in their statements to the press about Mr. Robinson, the plaintiff’s attorneys have reached beyond the bounds of liberties that even lawyers are typically allowed in this context.

"We will have more to say on this matter, as we fiercely defend our clients against these false allegations and work to protect their good names."