Smokey Robinson accused of sexual assault by 4 former workers – Nationwide

Smokey Robinson has been accused of sexual abuse by 4 of his former housekeepers in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom.

The ladies allege the 85-year-old repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them whereas they labored for him at his house in Chatsworth, Calif.

The go well with, considered by International Information, seeks at the very least US$50 million in damages over the alleged assaults, which the ladies say came about between 2006 and 2024, and labour violations, together with a hostile work atmosphere, illegally lengthy hours and lack of pay.

“Clearly, no quantity can compensate these girls for what Mr. Robinson subjected them to,” the ladies’s lawyer, John Harris, mentioned at a information convention on Tuesday.

The 4 girls every say Robinson would wait till he was alone with them in his Los Angeles house, then sexually assault and rape them.

“We consider that Mr. Robinson is a serial and sick rapist, and have to be stopped,” Harris mentioned.

Every lady mentioned they ultimately stop over the assaults, although in some circumstances it took a number of years. They mentioned they feared coming ahead over fears of retaliation, public disgrace and potential results on their immigration standing.

“Having to inform their husband and kids of those despicable actions left them crammed with disgrace and embarrassment,” Harris added. “So all through their dreadful experiences with Mr. Robinson, all 4 girls remained silent.”

Three of the ladies appeared in individual on the information convention in Los Angeles on Tuesday. They wore masks to guard their privateness and didn’t converse. All 4 girls additionally withheld their authorized names within the courtroom paperwork, the place they’re recognized as Jane Does.

Harris mentioned there was a “frequent thread” between the entire girls.

They “have been Hispanic girls employed as housekeepers incomes beneath minimal wage,” Harris mentioned. “As low-wage employees in weak positions, they lacked the sources and choices to guard themselves.”

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He mentioned that as low-wage earners, additionally they all feared “lacking a payday, and never with the ability to afford hire or purchase meals for his or her households.”

The lawsuit additionally names Robinson’s spouse, Frances Gladney, as a defendant, alleging she enabled his behaviour regardless of understanding about previous sexual misconduct. It additionally blames her for the hostile work atmosphere, saying she berated them with language that included ethnic slurs.

A number of the plaintiffs labored for Robinson on the identical time, Harris revealed, however they have been too embarrassed to disclose the alleged assaults.

The go well with alleges that Jane Doe 1 mentioned she labored for the couple for a 12 months earlier than quitting in 2024 and was assaulted at the very least seven occasions. Jane Doe 1 mentioned the primary sexual assault occurred in March 2023 and the assaults continued till she resigned in February 2024. She labored on the weekends when the remainder of the employees was off and alleged that Robinson “would name her into his blue bed room, lock the door and escort their canine Shilo out of the room” earlier than sexually assaulting her, in response to the go well with.

The go well with alleges that Robinson assaulted Jane Doe 2 at the very least 23 occasions from Could 2014 to February 2020. Within the go well with, Jane Doe 2 claimed that Robinson would textual content message her and ask her to satisfy in locations in his house with out safety cameras, just like the laundry room or storage, earlier than sexually assaulting her.

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Jane Doe 3 alleges that Robinson assaulted her at the very least 20 occasions through the 12 years she labored for him, starting in 2012.

Jane Doe 4, who mentioned she additionally acted as Gladney’s private assistant, hairdresser and cook dinner, labored for the couple from October 2006 till she resigned in April 2024. She cited related experiences throughout her 18 years working for the couple, however didn’t say how typically she was assaulted.

Herbert Hayden, one other lawyer representing the ladies, mentioned that whereas they really feel the assaults are worthy of legal investigation, the ladies haven’t filed police stories, based mostly on the identical fears that stored them from coming ahead.

The go well with seeks damages based mostly on sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and different allegations.

“Clearly, no amount of cash can compensate these girls for what Mr. Robinson put them by means of,” Harris mentioned. However he mentioned the $50 million was warranted “based mostly on the gravity of Mr. Robinson’s despicable and reprehensible misconduct.”

Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, referred to as the lawsuit “merely an unpleasant methodology of making an attempt to extract cash from an 85-year-old American icon,” in a press release to NBC Information.

“By way of this course of we’ve got seen the weird theatrics of yesterday’s information convention, because the plaintiffs’ attorneys outlined vile, false allegations towards Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, making an attempt to enlist the general public as an unwitting participant within the media circus they’re making an attempt to create,” Frost mentioned within the assertion.

Frost additionally mentioned that “in time Mr. Robinson will reply in his personal phrases.”

Robinson, a member of each the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame and the Songwriters Corridor of Fame, was among the many largest hitmakers of the Nineteen Sixties — each along with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs together with Tears of a Clown and The Tracks of My Tears.

He was a central a part of the Motown Data music machine in his hometown of Detroit as an artist, producer and songwriter for different artists.

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In case you or somebody is experiencing abuse or is concerned in an abusive scenario, please go to the Canadian Useful resource Centre for Victims of Crime for assist. They’re additionally reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.

— With information from The Related Press

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