Lawsuit claims Smokey Robinson of sexual assault and rape by 4 former housekeepers in California residence

LOS ANGELES — A lawsuit filed Tuesday by four former housekeepers of Smokey Robinson alleges that the Motown music icon sexually assaulted and raped them multiple times while they were employed by him.

The legal action was initiated in Los Angeles Superior Court and demands a minimum of $50 million in compensation for the reported attacks, which the women claim occurred between 2007 and 2024. The lawsuit also includes accusations of labor violations such as a hostile work environment, unjustifiably long work hours, and non-payment of wages.

A message seeking comment from a representative for the 85-year-old Robinson was not immediately answered.

According to the four accusers, Robinson would allegedly wait for opportunities to be alone with them in his Los Angeles residence, where he would proceed to sexually assault and rape them against their will. Although they resisted his advances, they state that they eventually resigned from their positions due to the ongoing assaults, with some enduring the ordeal for several years. Fear of reprisal, public humiliation, and potential implications on their immigration status reportedly prevented them from speaking out sooner.

All four women withheld their legal names citing privacy concerns and are identified as Jane Does in court documents.

The lawsuit also names Robinson’s wife Frances Robinson as a defendant, alleging that she enabled his behavior despite knowing about past sexual misconduct. It also blames her for the hostile work environment, saying she berated them with language that included ethnic slurs.

One woman said she worked for the Robinsons from 2012 until 2024, and was assaulted at least 20 times in that span. Another said she worked for them from 2014 until 2020, and was assaulted at least 23 times. Another said she worked for them for a year before quitting in 2024 and was assaulted at least seven times. The fourth woman, who said she also acted as Frances Robinson’s personal assistant, hairdresser and cook, worked for them for 18 years before resigning in 2024. She cited similar experiences to the other women, but did not say how often she was assaulted.

The suit seeks damages based on sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and other allegations.

Robinson, a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, was among the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s – both with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs including “Tears of a Clown” and “The Tracks of My Tears.”

He was a central part of the Motown Records music machine in his hometown of Detroit as an artist, producer and songwriter for other artists.