Motown legend Smokey Robinson has been accused of preying on female employees in a $50 million lawsuit.
Attorneys for four ex-housekeepers filed the complaint on Tuesday, May 6, in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
In the complaint obtained by Los Angeles news station KTLA 5, the unidentified “Jane Doe” accusers alleged they were assaulted multiple times at Robinson’s home in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in the north San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles.
The complaint alleged sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and creating a hostile work environment.
Robinson, 85, was a trailblazer in the music industry and received numerous accolades over the years. But the lawsuit alleged he was a predator behind closed doors. Robinson’s wife Frances Robinson was also named in the complaint.
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The accusers held a news conference with their attorneys on Tuesday. The women’s faces were covered by masks to obscure their identities.
“Our four clients have a common thread. They’re Hispanic women who were employed as housekeepers by the Robinsons, earning below minimum wage,” attorney John Harris of Los Angeles-based Harris & Hayden law firm told reporters.
The attorney said the accusers were “vulnerable,” adding that they lacked resources or options to protect themselves against the wealthy and famous Robinson.
Harris called the alleged assaults “disturbing,” and said he would not go into “graphic” details at the news conference.
He said the women are seeking $50 million in damages, as an interpreter translated his comments to Spanish for the accusers.
The lawsuit said the alleged assaults occurred between 2007 and 2024.
Per the complaint, the women were afraid to report Robinson to police because of his celebrity status. The women also said they were concerned about “familial reprisal, public embarrassment, shame and humiliation” as well as the possible effect a police report could have on their immigration status.
The women accused Robinson of touching their “entire bodies, including their vaginas, breasts, legs, abdomen, lips, and face” without consent. The accusers claimed the singer’s wife did nothing to prevent the alleged assaults.
Urban Hollywood 411 contacted Robinson’s agent seeking comment from the singer in the absence of a publicist, but so far we haven’t received a response.
Robinson rose to fame as lead singer and songwriter for Motown group The Miracles, which was known for such hits as “Shop Around,” “I Second That Emotion” and “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me.” He found solo success with singles, including “Cruisin'” and “Being With You.”
The Grammy-winning singer was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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