Smokey Robinson Accused of Sexual Assault

Four women, identified as Jane Does 1 through 4, have filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, Frances Robinson. 

The plaintiffs, all former housekeepers who worked at the Robinsons’ Chatsworth, California home, allege that Smokey Robinson repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them between 2007 and 2024. The lawsuit seeks at least $50 million in damages and includes 16 claims, such as sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and labor violations including unpaid wages, lack of overtime, and a hostile work environment.

The women claim they did not consent to Robinson’s advances, explicitly objected, and reminded him of his marriage, but he ignored their protests. They allege Robinson used physical barriers or threats to prevent them from leaving during the assaults, constituting false imprisonment. The lawsuit also accuses Frances Robinson of enabling her husband’s behavior, despite allegedly knowing about prior misconduct and settlements with other women, and creating a hostile work environment through verbal abuse, including ethnic slurs.

As of Tuesday, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has publicly responded to the allegations.