Legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson is facing additional sexual assault allegations from two other former employees, one a man and the other a woman, who have alleged he sexually assaulted them.
What are Robinson and his wife, Francis, being accused of?
This comes after, as Blavity previously reported, four women who previously worked for Robinson as his housekeepers filed a $50 million lawsuit in May against the singer and his wife, Frances Robinson, alleging years of sexual abuse at his properties. Frances was accused of maintaining a “hostile work environment” and committing multiple work violations.
The lawyers for the women filed a motion this week to have the two additional accusers added to the lawsuit anonymously, according to The Guardian.
According to the man, who worked as a car valet for Robinson, the singer allegedly fondled himself in front of him and tried to place the man’s hand on his genitals. One of the former housekeepers, listed as one of the “Jane Does” in the legal complaint, also accused the Detroit native of allegedly making her touch him while he was showering on several occasions, per Blavity and The Guardian.
Robinson’s lawyer called out the accusers in a recent statement
Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, told Rolling Stone in a statement that the two newest accusers were “part of the same group of people who have conspired together against the Robinsons and are layering out their claims for maximum adverse publicity,” and claimed they filed the lawsuit as an “organized, avaricious campaign to extract money from an 85-year-old legend.”
“This group of people, who hide behind anonymity, and their attorneys, seek global publicity while making the ugliest of false allegations,” Frost added. “Once the public can see the truth, their avaricious motives and fabricated claims will be revealed.”
The singer has since maintained his innocence and denied the allegations of sexual assault and rape.
The Robinsons filed a $500 million countersuit against the first accusers
More than three weeks after the four women filed the lawsuit, Robinson and his wife countersued with a $500 million civil suit, citing defamation and elder abuse, according to Blavity.
“The Robinsons did not abuse, harm or take advantage of plaintiffs; they treated plaintiffs with the utmost kindness and generosity,” the May 28-filed litigation stated, Deadline reported at the time. “Unfortunately, the depths of plaintiffs’ avarice and greed knows no bounds.”
In addition to the counter allegations, the Robinsons have also accused the four ex-housekeepers of stealing from their home. Francis recalled one incident where they had left for the day and she realized that several of her financial records (bank statements) were missing. According to the court filing, one person had access to where the information was stored.
“As a result of their roles as household staff, they had particular knowledge of where the Robinsons’ valuables were kept, including a hidden safe and gold Krugerrands. That safe and the valuables it contained and several gold Kruggerands were later stolen by someone who knew precisely where they were located. The Robinsons reported the theft to the police,” the lawsuit stated.