Smokey Robinson is facing a major legal challenge after four women filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 6, accusing the legendary singer of repeated s3xual assault and rape during their time working for him and his wife, Frances Gladney Robinson.
The four Jane Does allege they were employed as housekeepers for the Robinson household and that their periods of employment overlapped. According to the suit, the alleged abuse spans years, with the earliest incident dating back to 2007. The women claim that while Frances was away, Smokey would summon them to his bedroom or other private areas in the home, where the assaults allegedly took place.
Each of the women describes similar patterns of abuse, including forced oral s3x, digital penetration, and full intercourse against their will. The suit claims the victims explicitly told him “no” during these encounters. Two of the women further allege that Robinson ejaculated inside them without using protection.
According to the filing, Smokey would sometimes prepare by laying a towel down before the assaults to avoid soiling bed linens. The women are now suing him for s3xual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and gender violence, seeking damages of at least $50 million.
Frances Robinson is also named in the lawsuit, though the plaintiffs do not accuse her of participating in the alleged assaults. Instead, they argue she was aware of prior alleged misconduct by her husband and failed to take action. They also accuse her of contributing to a hostile work environment through the use of racially insensitive language, excessive workloads, and the denial of legally mandated meal and rest breaks.
As of now, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has responded publicly to the allegations.
