Music icon Smokey Robinson is facing serious allegations after four former housekeepers filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles this week, accusing the 85-year-old of sexual assault and misconduct over a span of nearly two decades.
The lawsuit, which seeks over $50 million in damages, paints a disturbing picture of repeated abuse and intimidation allegedly carried out by the Motown legend in both his Los Angeles and Las Vegas residences. According to court documents, the women—whose identities remain confidential due to the sensitive nature of the case—claim Robinson used his status and influence to silence them, while subjecting them to years of unwanted advances, harassment, and in some cases, rape.
One of the accusers alleges Robinson repeatedly summoned her to his bedroom while dressed only in his underwear, assaulting her multiple times between March 2023 and February 2024. She says she ultimately resigned due to the emotional toll and continued trauma.
Another plaintiff alleges that during her four-year tenure, she endured more than 20 instances of sexual assault, while a third woman claims to have been harassed and assaulted consistently throughout 12 years of employment, ending earlier this year.
The fourth accuser, whose employment began in 2007, says she was first assaulted during a work-related trip to Robinson’s Las Vegas property. All four women say they stayed silent for years out of fear—both of public shaming and of retaliation from the Grammy-winning star.
In addition to Robinson, the lawsuit also names his wife, Frances Robinson, accusing her of contributing to a toxic workplace and willfully ignoring her husband’s conduct. Reached briefly by phone, Frances expressed shock at the allegations but declined to comment further, saying, “I’m as shocked as you are.”
Smokey Robinson, celebrated for timeless hits like The Tracks of My Tears and The Tears of a Clown, was a founding member of the legendary group The Miracles and a key figure in the Motown era that helped shape American soul music. As of now, neither Robinson nor his legal team has issued a formal response to the allegations.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of high-profile cases challenging powerful figures in the entertainment industry, raising continued questions about accountability, abuse of power, and workplace protections for domestic and personal staff.
