Four housekeepers accuse Motown singer Smokey Robinson of sexual assault
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Smokey Robinson faced a lawsuit on May 6 from four former housekeepers who alleged the soul singer repeatedly sexually assaulted them.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES - Four anonymous housekeepers sued Motown legend Smokey Robinson on May 6 for US$50 million (S$64 million), alleging that he sexually assaulted them for years while his wife covered up the abuse and contributed to a hostile work environment.
Representatives for Robinson, 85, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the accusations could not be independently verified.
The plaintiffs, who sued under Jane Doe pseudonyms to protect their privacy, accused the American singer-songwriter of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and gender violence at his home in the Chatsworth section of Los Angeles. The alleged incidents began as early as 2007 and continued until 2024.
The four women, identified as Hispanic, also alleged labour violations denying them proper pay before they quit their jobs. They said they did not come forward sooner due to the shame in their culture associated with sexual assault, fear of losing their low-paying jobs and Robinson’s celebrity status.
The lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court also names Robinson’s wife, Mrs Frances Robinson, alleging she screamed at the employees with “ethnically pejorative words and language”.
Three of the accusers appeared wearing masks and dark glasses at a Los Angeles press conference with their lawyers, and the fourth appeared remotely.
“Obviously no amount of money can compensate these women for what Mr Robinson subjected them to,” attorney John Harris told reporters. “But given the gravity of Mr Robinson’s despicable and reprehensible misconduct... this amount is clearly warranted.”
Jane Doe 1 accused Smokey Robinson of painfully penetrating her and committing other unwanted sexual acts at least seven times upon summoning her to a bedroom, with the final occurrence on Feb 17, 2024, two days before his 84th birthday.
The other plaintiffs accused Robinson of similar offences, with Jane Does 2 and 3 each alleging at least 20 assaults.
Their lawyers said they would welcome a criminal investigation, but have yet to be contacted by prosecutors.
A spokesperson for Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said it was not under review because law enforcement had not presented a case. Los Angeles police said they had no statement on the matter.
Robinson shot to fame in the 1960s when he played an instrumental role in the rise of the Motown sound as the silky-voiced singer of Tears Of A Clown (1967). The soul singer recorded more than 30 hits as a solo performer or with The Miracles, a vocal group of his former classmates from Detroit city. REUTERS
