Four women who previously worked as housekeepers for American R&B singer Smokey Robinson and his wife have filed a workplace harassment complaint alleging repeated sexual assault and sexual harassment by Robinson.
The complaint, filed in a Los Angeles courthouse on Tuesday, details accusations from the unnamed women who worked for the couple at various times between 2006 and 2024. Each woman stated she resigned due to Robinson’s alleged actions.
According to the complaint, the women did not report the alleged assaults earlier due to fears of job loss, public embarrassment, and intimidation stemming from Robinson’s celebrity status and his associates.
Additionally, three of the women expressed concerns about potential negative impacts on their immigration status.
The women are collectively seeking at least $50 million in damages for alleged emotional distress, gender violence, creation of a hostile work environment, and multiple labor violations, including failure to pay minimum wage and overtime and denial of rest and lunch breaks.
An attorney for the plaintiffs stated at a news conference that the women, identified as Jane Does 1-4, decided to sue to advocate for their rights and the rights of other women, seeking justice for the alleged harm they endured.
The complaint outlines specific allegations from each woman. Jane Doe 1 alleges at least seven sexual assaults between 2023 and 2024 at Robinson’s Chatsworth residence, often occurring on Saturdays when he returned home after taking his wife to the nail salon.
Jane Doe 2 accuses Robinson of rape or sexual assault on at least 23 occasions between 2016 and 2020 at his Chatsworth home, often summoning her to areas without cameras before the alleged incidents.
Jane Doe 3 alleges repeated sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape throughout her employment as a housekeeper at Robinson’s Chatsworth home between 2012 and 2024, claiming at least 20 instances of rape and one instance where Robinson allegedly offered her $500 for oral copulation, which she refused.
Jane Doe 4, who also worked as his wife’s personal assistant, cook, and hairdresser between 2006 and 2024, alleges she was raped by Robinson in his Las Vegas home in 2007 and also at his Chatsworth and Bell Canyon homes.
The complaint asserts that the plaintiffs did not consent to the alleged sexual contact and suffered severe emotional distress as a result.
Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, is also named as a co-defendant. The complaint accuses her of failing to take appropriate action to prevent her husband’s alleged misconduct and creating a hostile work environment through yelling and the use of ethnically pejorative language.
Smokey Robinson, 85, a renowned singer, songwriter, and record producer prominent in Motown and R&B since the 1960s, is known for hits with The Miracles and for writing songs for other iconic artists.
He also served as Vice President of Motown Records and has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
