Photo Credit: Frances Gladney and Smokey Robinson by Gage Skidmore / CC by 2.0
Legendary singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson was sued last week by former employees who allege assault, sexual battery, and false imprisonment. The four Jane Does, who worked for the singer between 2006 and 2024, filed a lawsuit against the Motown legend and his wife Frances in Los Angeles Superior Court with similar claims that Robinson sexually assaulted and harassed them during their employment.
Now, a criminal investigation has been launched into the allegations, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson, AKA Smokey Robinson,” reads a statement from the sheriff’s office. “The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment.”
The former housekeepers in the lawsuit state they did not take action against Robinson sooner for fear of losing their jobs, or of familial shame and embarrassment. Some were also afraid it could affect their immigration status.
“We are aware that a police report has now been filed by the Plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit. It is clear to us what is happening here,” said the singer’s attorney in a statement. “Plaintiffs filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit. This means only that the police are now required to investigate. We welcome that investigation, which involves Plaintiffs who continue to hide their identities, because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing.”
“We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create,” the statement continues. “The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Francis Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice.”
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