Four former housekeepers have filed a lawsuit against Motown legend Smokey Robinson, accusing him of sexual assault. The suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that Robinson repeatedly abused some of the women for years. The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Does 1-4, seek damages of at least $50 million.
Their lawyer, John Harris, said the amount is warranted given the seriousness of Robinson’s alleged misconduct. Three women appeared at a news conference in Los Angeles, while a fourth attended remotely. Harris said they were vulnerable due to their low-wage positions as Hispanic housekeepers earning below minimum wage.
According to the suit, Robinson assaulted one woman at least 23 times from 2014 to 2020, often in areas of his home without security cameras. Another former employee claims she was attacked at least 20 times over 12 years, starting in 2012.
Allegations of abuse from housekeepers
One former housekeeper alleges Robinson assaulted her at least seven times in 13 months. She says she would remind him, “you’re married,” but he ignored her pleas. The plaintiffs also accuse Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, of perpetuating a hostile work environment by screaming at them and using ethnically pejorative language.
They claim she threatened to be “mean” to them if they refused to have sex with her husband. The women did not report Robinson to authorities for fear of reprisal, public embarrassment, and possible effects on their immigration statuses. Robinson, a pioneer for Motown Records, founded the vocal group the Miracles in the 1950s and later released solo albums while serving as a record executive for the label.
He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Robinson’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
