Smokey Robinson is accused of sexual abuse by four former housekeepers in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The woman claims that the 85-year-old repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them while working for him at his home in Chatsworth, California.
The lawsuit, seen by Global News, calls for at least US$50 million in damages for the attacks that women allegedly occurred between 2006 and 2024, as well as labor violations, including hostile work environments, illegally long hours and wage shortages.
“Obviously there is no amount to compensate these women for what Robinson was exposed to,” the women's lawyer, John Harris, said at a press conference Tuesday.
Each of the four women say they will wait until Robinson is alone at their Los Angeles home before sexually assaulting and raping them.
“I believe Mr. Robinson is a serial sick rapist and he has to be stopped,” Harris said.
Each woman said she eventually stopped attacking, but in some cases it took several years. They said they fear retaliation, public shame, and the possibility of impact on their immigrant status.
“They were filled with shame and embarrassment that they had to communicate these despicable behavior to their husbands and children,” added Harris. “So, through my horrifying experience with Mr. Robinson, all four women remained silent.”
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Three women appeared in person at a press conference held in Los Angeles on Tuesday. They wore masks to protect their privacy and did not speak. All four women withheld legal names in court documents identified as Jane was.
Harris said there is a “common thread” between all women.
They were “hispanic women employed as housekeepers under the minimum wage,” Harris said. “As vulnerable, low-wage workers, they lacked resources and options to protect themselves.”
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He said that as low-paid earners, they all fear that they “missed payday and couldn't afford rent or food for their families.”
The lawsuit also claims that Robinson's wife, Francis Gladney, was the accused, allowing him to act despite knowing about past sexual misconduct. He also condemned the hostile work environment and said she had deceived them in languages that included ethnic slander.
(LR) Francis Gladney and Smokey Robinson will be attending the 2024 Harold and Carol Pump Foundation gala held at Beverly Hilton on August 16, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Harold and Carol Pump Foundation's Tiffany Rose/Getty Images
Some of the plaintiffs worked at Robinson at the same time, Harris revealed, but they were too embarrassed to reveal the attack that was too embarrassing.
The lawsuit says Jane Doh1 worked for the couple for a year before quitting in 2024, claiming that she was assaulted at least seven times. Jane Do1 said the first sexual assault occurred in March 2023, and the assault continued until she resigned in February 2024.
The lawsuit alleges that Robinson attacked Jane Doe 2 at least 23 times from May 2014 to February 2020. In the lawsuit, Jane Doe 2 claimed that Robinson would send a message to her and ask her to meet at her home location without security cameras such as laundry rooms and garages, before sexually attacking her.
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Jane Doh3 claims that Robinson assaulted her at least 20 times in the 12 years she had been working for him since 2012.
Jane Doe 4 also acted as Gladney's personal assistant, hairdresser and Cook, working for the couple from October 2006 until she resigned in April 2024.
Herbert Hayden, another lawyer representing the woman, said she feels the attack is worthy of a criminal investigation, but she has not filed a police report based on the same fears that she has prevented women from moving forward.
The lawsuit seeks damages based on sexual assault, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and other allegations.
“Obviously there's no amount to supplement these women for what Robinson gave them,” Harris said. However, he said $50 million was guaranteed “on the basis of the gravity of Mr. Robinson's sleazy and condemnable misconduct.”
Robinson's lawyer, Christopher Frost, called it “an ugly way of trying to extract money from the 85-year-old American icon.”
“Through this process, I have seen the strange plays of yesterday's press conference as the plaintiff's lawyers outlined the sleazy and false allegations against Mrs. Robinson.
Frost also said, “Mr. Robinson will respond in his own words in the future.”
A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, Robinson was one of the biggest hit makers of the 1960s.
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.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, help the victims of crime for the Canadian Resource Center. You can also reach the free you can reach on 1-877-232-2610.
– Use files from Associated Press
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