Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Smokey Robinson is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department following accusations of sexual assault made by four anonymous former employees. The inquiry into these serious allegations, detailed in a recent lawsuit, could have significant repercussions for the esteemed singer and his wife. The lawsuit seeks $50 million in damages, alleging a toxic work environment and a pattern of misconduct.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Smokey Robinson
On Thursday, the Sheriff’s Department verified that it has initiated an investigation into the claims leveled against the 85-year-old musician in a lawsuit filed last Tuesday.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson aka ‘Smokey Robinson.’ The investigation is in the initial stages, and we have no further comment,” stated a representative for the LASD in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
Robinson’s Legal Team Responds to Allegations
Christopher Frost, Robinson’s attorney, issued a response to Fox News Digital, stating, “We are aware that a police report has now been filed by the Plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit. It is clear to us what is happening here. Plaintiffs filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit.”
He further added, “This means only that the police are now required to investigate. We welcome that investigation, which involves Plaintiffs who continue to conceal their identities, because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing.”
“We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create,” Frost asserted.
“The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice.”
Details of the Lawsuit Against Smokey Robinson
Robinson is accused of assaulting and raping four former housekeepers who were employed at his Chatsworth residence between 2006 and 2024, according to the legal complaint.
The plaintiffs are pursuing $50 million in damages.
Allegations Against Frances Robinson
In addition to the charges against Smokey Robinson, his wife, Frances, has been accused of fostering a detrimental work atmosphere.
The accusers allege that Frances “failed to take the appropriate corrective action to prevent Defendant Smokey Robinson’s deviant misconduct” despite having “full knowledge of his prior acts of sexual misconduct, having settled cases with other women that suffered and experienced similar sexual assaults perpetuated by him.”
According to the lawsuit, one of the four accusers, Jane Doe 1, was employed by the Motown icon from January 2023 through February 2024 but was compelled to resign due to Robinson’s “repeated sexual assaults and sexual harassment against her.”
Accuser’s Account of Alleged Assaults
She alleges Robinson sexually assaulted her “at least 7 times” during her employment. She did not report the incidents due to “her fear of losing her livelihood, familial reprisal, public embarrassment, shame… the possible adverse effect on her immigration status…”
“Plaintiffs were severely harmed and humiliated by Defendant Smokey Robinson’s conduct,” the women assert in their lawsuit.
Legal Claims in the Lawsuit
Besides sexual battery and assault, the four women are suing for:
- Negligence
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Gender violence
- Various labor code violations