Legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson is now facing serious legal accusations after four former housekeepers filed a $50-million lawsuit against him, alleging sexual battery, assault, and the creation of a hostile work environment.
The iconic performer, songwriter, and producer, renowned for his significant influence on R&B since the 1960s, has been accused of repeatedly raping the four women, whom are identified as Jane Doe 1,2,3, and 4, along with committing other unwanted acts.
His wife, Frances Gladney, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, May 6.
As the alleged misconduct reportedly spans nearly two decades, here’s a full breakdown of the accusations.
The Allegations Against Smokey Robinson & Frances Gladney
According to the lawsuit, Robinson is accused of sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence, and gender violence.
There’s also a list of labor violations related to wages, breaks, meal times, and overtime pay.
His wife is also said to have contributed to creating a hostile work environment and even used “ethnically pejorative words and language.”
“They're Hispanic women who were employed by the Robinsons earning below minimum wage,” John Harris, the accusers’ lawyer, said at a press conference.
The women said they worked 10 hours a day, six days a week without being paid minimum wage or overtime. They also worked on holidays without receiving any holiday pay.
Plaintiffs Detail the Nightmare They’ve Suffered
The court documents revealed that three of the plaintiffs are Robinson’s former housekeepers while one used to be his personal assistant, cook, and hairdresser.
All of them claimed the 85-year-old soul singer would summon them to different areas in his various properties in Chatsworth, Bell Canyon and Las Vegas, when his wife was away.
The lawsuit alleged that he would sometimes come out naked from the show and force them into sexual acts, starting in 2006.
Jane Doe 1, who worked for the Robinsons at their Chatsworth, California, home from January 2023 to February 2024, claimed her shifts were often on the weekends when the rest of the staff was off.
She added that Robinson would take Gladney to the nail salon on Saturdays and “rush” back home to be alone with her.
The founder and frontman of the Motown vocal group the Miracles would allegedly “call her into his blue bedroom, lock the door, and escort their dog Shilo out of the room.”
“He will have showered and clothed only in his underwear,” the suit continued to read. “He would then neatly place a white towel on his bed, not to soil the bed linens, in preparation for what was about to occur.”
The icon would then kiss Jane Doe 1 all over her face and body, “roughly penetrate her vagina with his finger, orally copulate her, and proceed to penetrate her … causing her great pain.”
Though she would try to “protest and resist his sexual assault,” it would end up to no avail as he allegedly “enjoyed ejaculating” inside her “without using a condom.”
The complaint claimed Jane Doe was sexually assaulted “in that manner at least seven times.”
Working from May 2014 to February 2020 for the Robinsons, Jane Doe 2 claimed in her complaint that she was allegedly sexually assaulted on “at least 23 different occasions.”
“When they were home alone, he would text message her, asking her to meet him at areas in their Chatsworth residence where closed-circuit cameras weren’t located,” the suit read. “When arriving, he would immediately grab her and begin to penetrate her vagina with his fingers, causing her excruciating pain, and then would proceed to rape her.”
Like Jane Doe 1, she would allegedly be forced into the “blue room” to “perform oral sex” on Robinson. He would then “forcibly penetrate her … without using a condom.”
The suit also detailed that the accused would “enjoy ejaculating all over Jane Doe 2’s face, much to his satisfaction and her abject humiliation.”
But if she ever refused to his “brutal,” “constant,” and “predictable” sexual advances, he would allegedly “make [Gladney] be mean to her.”
In addition, Jane Doe 3, working for the couple from February 2012 to April 2024, alleged Smokey would “force her into his blue room,” where he would usually exit his bathroom nude or wearing only underwear after showering.
Like his previous actions, he would “carefully” place a towel on his bed “not to soil the linens for what was about to occur.”
The abuse would allegedly begin with disrobing her, orally copulating her, and forcing her to “lie face down on the towel so that he could penetrate her … from the rear.” This allegedly happened “at least 20 times.”
Lastly, Jane Doe 4, who started working for the Robinsons as a housekeeper in October 2006 but became Gladney’s personal assistant, cook, and hairdresser until April 2024, claimed Robinson raped her in both of his homes in Chatsworth and Las Vegas and his temporary residence in Bell Canyon, California.
While cleaning, she revealed in her complaint that her male boss would come out “naked” with an “erect p*nis,” “pull [her] clothes off,” “push her down,” and “proceed to rape her” despite her refusal.
Like the other complainants, she also alleged that Robinson “never used a condom” and ejaculated either in or on her. He would also allegedly “constantly admire and touch Jane Doe 4’s breasts, kiss her neck, and force his tongue into her mouth.”
During the alleged assault, the four women said Robinson used physical barriers and threats of force to stop them from fleeing.
Women’s Fear of Speaking Out Against Smokey Robinson
According to the suit, all of the four women were afraid to speak out against Robinson at the time due to their fear of “losing their livelihood” and bringing “reprisal, public embarrassment, shame and humiliation” to them and their families.
“As low-wage women in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from sexual assaults,” Harris said.
But everything has now changed.
“These courageous four women have collectively decided to come forward and share their experiences of being sexually assaulted by Mr. Smokey Robinson and stand up for their rights as well as the rights of other women, particularly those that may be victimized by him in the future,” Harris explained.
He then went on to call this case their “first step of journey to achieve that.”
The four women are seeking $50 million in damages and have requested a jury trial. As of this writing, Robinson has not publicly responded to the allegations.
As the case is ongoing, further developments are expected to unfold.