Smokey Robinson has denied allegations of sexual assault after four former housekeepers filed a lawsuit against the Motown legend. The suit, lodged in a Los Angeles court on 6 May, includes claims of sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and gender violence.
The women also allege a series of labour violations, including that Robinson and his wife, Frances, failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, submitted inaccurate wage statements and created a hostile work environment. They are seeking financial damages.
Robinson's lawyer, Christopher Frost, called the allegations 'vile, false' and said they 'defy credulity'. He described the lawsuit as 'an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon – $50m, to be exact'. Frost accused the plaintiffs' legal team of 'bizarre theatrics' and trying to create a 'media circus'.
The allegations date from between 2007 and 2024, with incidents allegedly occurring at Robinson's estate in Chatsworth, California, and homes in Las Vegas and Bell Canyon. The women are anonymised in the lawsuit. Lawyers for the plaintiffs characterised Robinson as 'a serial and sick rapist' who must be stopped.
Robinson's wife, Frances, is also accused of using 'ethnically pejorative words' and being aware of the alleged assaults. Her lawyer said she used their status and the women's reliance on their wage to keep them in check. Frost said Robinson would later respond in his own words and that a motion to dismiss the lawsuit would be filed.
