Note: The following article contains disturbing details about sexual assault. Read at your own discretion.
Music legend Smokey Robinson has sued four of his former employees for delinquent loss after filing a lawsuit against a singer he may have accused of sexual assault and rape.
Robinson and his wife, Francis Gladney, rebutted a group of Los Angeles housekeepers on Wednesday, denounced the woman for false allegations of sexual assault as part of a “terrifying” lawsuit.
The legendary Motown accuser says he was afraid to move forward until now, fearing losing their livelihoods and immigration status – the four plaintiffs are all Hispanic immigrants.
Smokey Robinson and Francis Gladney will be attending the 66th pre-Grammy gala in Los Angeles.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
The accuser who filed an anonymous lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court is seeking at least US$50 million in damages. The woman says she experienced abuse between 2007 and 2024, and has experienced labor violations such as hostile work environments, illegally long hours and wage shortages.
The singer has denied the allegations and is currently investigating for sexual assault. His lawyers argue that the petitioner is after his money.
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The couple claim that the women accompanied them on family holidays and celebrated the holiday together.
“The Robinsons did not abuse, harm or use the plaintiffs. They treated the plaintiffs with the greatest kindness and generosity,” their lawsuit states.
Robinson's attorney also filed an motion to dismiss the accuser's case on the basis that anonymity should not be granted.
The accused filed on May 6th as Jane Doe 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The long legal document refers to at least 50 suspected rape cases, dating back nearly 20 years when Robinson has been accused of forcing former staff members into gender.
American singer Smokey Robinson will perform on stage at the Holiday Star Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana on July 28, 1982.
Paul Knuckin/Getty Images
Jane Do1, hired in January 2023, insisted that she had no choice but to resign in February 2024 after experiencing numerous attacks.
According to submissions, she worked at her family home over the weekend. On Saturday, Robinson took his wife to a nail salon and went home alone with Jane Doe 1.
“When he gets home, the accused Smokey Robinson calls her to the blue bedroom, closes the door and escorts the dog Shiro from the room. He is dressed in the shower, only his underwear. He is set to put a white towel on the bed and instead of tainting the linen on the bed, he is to file a lawsuit.”
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Plaintiffs say she protested and tried to escape his attack, but to no avail. According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe 1 was assaulted in such a way at least seven times.
Similarly, Jane Doe 2 resigned from her position in 2020 after years of assaults that she said began in 2016.
According to the filing, Robinson began summoning her via text messages to areas of his residence that are not under security camera surveillance, such as the garage, laundry room and his blue bedroom.
If Jane Doo 2 protests, Robinson threatens her, telling her that his wife would be “mean” to her, adding that his wife had knowledge of abuse and did not act.
Jane Doh3, who worked with the Robinsons for 12 years from 2012 to 2024, claims that she was sexually assaulted by a musician for almost the entire tenure when she resigned. On one occasion he offered $500 in exchange for oral sex, according to court documents. She claims she was raped at least 20 times by Robinson.
Jane Doe 4 says that repeated Robinson sexual assaults, including rape and daily harassment, forced her to resign in 2024, when she worked for her family since 2006.
A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriter Hall of Fame, Robinson was one of the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s, and as a solo artist, he has included songs such as Tears of a Theown of a Clown and The Tracks of My Tears.
He was a central part of the music machine at Motown Records, his hometown of Detroit, as an artist, producer and songwriter for other artists.
– Use files from Associated Press
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