Four women who used to work as housekeepers for Smokey Robinson are now suing the iconic Motown singer, accusing him of repeated sexual assault and rape during their employment at his Los Angeles residence. The suit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the assaults occurred between 2007 and 2024 and seeks at least $50 million in damages, the AP reports. The women, identified only as Jane Does, claim Robinson assaulted and raped them when they were alone with him in the home. Each says she eventually quit due to the alleged abuse, and that fear of retaliation, public shame, and concerns over immigration status contributed to the delay in coming forward.
The lawsuit also names Frances Robinson, Smokey's wife, as a defendant. The women allege she enabled the behavior despite being aware of her husband's alleged past sexual misconduct, and the lawsuit also accuses her of contributing to a hostile work environment by using ethnic slurs and verbal abuse. The women describe varying lengths of employment with the Robinsons, from one year to as long as 18 years, and report being assaulted numerous times during those periods. They also allege lack of pay and illegally lengthy work hours.
They are "Hispanic women employed as housekeepers earning below minimum wage," one of their lawyers says, per NBC News. "As low-wage workers in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options to protect themselves."
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Robinson, 85, is a prominent figure in American music, known for classic hits like "Tears of a Clown" and "The Tracks of My Tears," and has been inducted into both the Rock & Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame. He is also known for his involvement as a record executive with Motown Records in his hometown, Detroit, where he also worked as a producer and songwriter for other musicians. He has not yet commented publicly on the allegations. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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