Motown legend accused of sexual assault by four housekeepers in a $50-million lawsuit
Four former employees accuse the singer of sexual assault and failing to pay them overtime. The complaint filed in Los Angeles on May 6.
Smokey Robinson was once the poster boy at iconic soul label Motown. The lead singer and songwriter for his band the Miracles, his group was the first, not just to achieve widespread success, but also to cross over to attract a white audience - the Beatles covered one of Smokey’s songs on their second album in 1963.
Smokey’s ups and downs
Life hasn’t always been so rosy for the signer, now 85. Tales of drug addiction, extramarital affairs and children born out of wedlock have followed him since the 70s - personal issues which he himself has been open and frank about in interviews.
Now Smokey faces a new legal battle which threatens to take a large chunk out of his vast personal fortune.
The Robinsons facing serious allegations
On Tuesday, four Hispanic women who were hired as housekeepers or personal assistants by the Robinsons (Smokey and his second wife Frances), filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging they were sexually assaulted by the singer. All four ex-employees also made other claims - including false imprisonment, negligence and gender violence, on top of a number of labor violations relating to the minimum wage, breaks, meal times, overtime pay and a “hostile work environment”.
The four women claim they were forced to work 10-hour days, with just one day off a week - without being paid the minimum wage or overtime. The minimum wage in California is currently $16.00 / hour. They also claim to have worked holidays without receiving a holiday rate.
Three of the women are former housekeepers and one was the singer’s PA, cook and hairdresser. “As low-wage women in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from sexual assaults,” the women’s attorney John Harris told reporters at a news conference.
Attorney labels Smokey Robinson: “A serial and sick rapist”
In the lawsuit, all four women claim that Robinson forced them to have perform various sexual acts, including rape, over a number of years. The alleged abuse dates back to 2006 and occurred while his wife Frances was away. All four women quit their jobs as a result of the alleged sexual misconduct.
Amid the allegations, no police reports or criminal charges have been filed against the singer, who has a net worth of $150 million. Los Angeles County Superior Court must now decide whether to accept or reject the case.
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