Nationwide — Legendary Motown singer and producer Smokey Robinson is facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct from four former employees, adding his name to a growing list of prominent Black male celebrities recently accused of sexual assault and harassment. Robinson, now 85, has been named in a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, May 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court, which accuses him of multiple offenses including sexual battery, gender violence, false imprisonment, and maintaining a hostile work environment.Smokey Robinson, born William Robinson Jr., rose to fame in the 1960s as the frontman of The Miracles and later became a key figure at Motown Records, helping shape the sound of soul music for generations. Over the decades, he has earned acclaim not only as a vocalist but also as a songwriter and executive. However, his legacy is now under scrutiny as four women — all of whom worked for Robinson in domestic roles — claim he repeatedly sexually assaulted them over a span of nearly two decades.
According to People, the lawsuit, which also names Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, as a co-defendant, alleges that she was fully aware of his alleged behavior and failed to intervene. According to the filing, Frances is accused of enabling her husband’s actions by ignoring previous instances of misconduct and allowing a pattern of abuse to continue within their household.
The four women — identified as Jane Doe 1 through 4 — describe a disturbing pattern of abuse that includes repeated sexual assaults, harassment, and, in at least one case, alleged rape. Jane Doe 3 claims she was raped “at least 20 times” while working as a housekeeper, while Jane Doe 4 says she endured similar treatment from 2007 until her resignation in 2024. Several women say they were forced to resign due to the hostile and abusive environment.
The plaintiffs are seeking no less than $50 million in damages.
These accusations come at a time when other high-profile Black men in entertainment — including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Trey Songz, and Jonathan Majors — have also been the subject of legal action involving sexual misconduct or domestic violence. While each case varies in scope and evidence, critics argue that the frequency of these lawsuits raises deeper questions about power dynamics, accountability in the entertainment industry, and the treatment of women — particularly women of color — in private workspaces.
So far, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has made a public statement regarding the lawsuit.