Nationwide — Legendary Motown singer and producer Smokey Robinson is dealing with severe allegations of sexual misconduct from 4 former staff, including his title to a rising checklist of distinguished Black male celebrities just lately accused of sexual assault and harassment. Robinson, now 85, has been named in a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, Could 6 in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom, which accuses him of a number of offenses together with sexual battery, gender violence, false imprisonment, and sustaining a hostile work surroundings.Smokey Robinson, born William Robinson Jr., rose to fame within the Nineteen Sixties because the frontman of The Miracles and later grew to become a key determine at Motown Data, serving to form the sound of soul music for generations. Over the a long time, he has earned acclaim not solely as a vocalist but additionally as a songwriter and government. Nonetheless, his legacy is now beneath scrutiny as 4 girls — all of whom labored for Robinson in home roles — declare he repeatedly sexually assaulted them over a span of practically twenty years.
In line with People, the lawsuit, which additionally names Robinson’s spouse, Frances Robinson, as a co-defendant, alleges that she was totally conscious of his alleged habits and did not intervene. In line with the submitting, Frances is accused of enabling her husband’s actions by ignoring earlier cases of misconduct and permitting a sample of abuse to proceed inside their family.
The 4 girls — recognized as Jane Doe 1 by way of 4 — describe a disturbing sample of abuse that features repeated sexual assaults, harassment, and, in not less than one case, alleged rape. Jane Doe 3 claims she was raped “not less than 20 instances” whereas working as a housekeeper, whereas Jane Doe 4 says she endured comparable therapy from 2007 till her resignation in 2024. A number of girls say they have been pressured to resign because of the hostile and abusive surroundings.
The plaintiffs are searching for a minimum of $50 million in damages.
These accusations come at a time when different high-profile Black males in leisure — together with Sean “Diddy” Combs, Trey Songz, and Jonathan Majors — have additionally been the topic of authorized motion involving sexual misconduct or home violence. Whereas every case varies in scope and proof, critics argue that the frequency of those lawsuits raises deeper questions on energy dynamics, accountability within the leisure trade, and the therapy of ladies — significantly girls of colour — in non-public workspaces.
Thus far, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has made a public assertion concerning the lawsuit.
