- Thursday, May 08, 2025
Smokey Robinson is an iconic American singer, songwriter, and producer, best known as the frontman of The Miracles and a key figure in Motown’s rise. He’s credited with over 4,000 songs and inducted into multiple music halls of fame.
By: Vibhuti Pathak
In a startling development that has sent shockwaves through the music industry, legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson has been hit with a $50 million lawsuit by four women who previously worked as housekeepers for the star and his wife, Frances Robinson.
The women, who have chosen to remain anonymous and are identified only as Jane Does 1 through 4, accuse the music icon of a disturbing pattern of sexual assault, false imprisonment, negligence, and gender-based violence.
The civil suit was filed on Tuesday (6), in Los Angeles Superior Court by the legal firm Harris & Hayden. The allegations detail harrowing experiences spanning Robinson’s various properties, including homes in Chatsworth, Las Vegas, and Bell Canyon. Jane Does 1, 3, and 4 claim they were assaulted in what has become infamously referred to in the lawsuit as the “blue bedroom” of the Robinson residence, where Smokey allegedly laid down towels to protect the sheets before committing sexual assaults.
Jane Doe 4 further accuses Robinson of rape at his Las Vegas and Bell Canyon homes. Jane Doe 2 alleges he raped her in the laundry room and garage—areas not covered by the home’s security cameras.
At a press conference, attorney John Harris highlighted the power imbalance between Robinson and the accusers. “They’re low-wage Hispanic women in extremely vulnerable positions,” he said. “They feared losing income essential for rent and food, and that fear kept them silent for far too long.”
The suit doesn’t stop with Smokey Robinson. His wife, Frances Robinson, is also named for fostering what the complaint describes as a hostile work environment.
The women allege Frances not only ignored her husband’s sexual misconduct but also used ethnically derogatory language and enabled his behavior by ensuring the women remained financially and socially dependent. “She had full knowledge of prior sexual assault settlements involving her husband,” said attorney Herbert Hayden, adding, “She used that power imbalance to keep these women silent.”
Notably, no police reports or criminal charges have been filed against Smokey Robinson as of now. Still, the plaintiffs’ attorneys emphasized that civil litigation was their only viable path toward justice due to the power and influence Robinson wields.
Smokey Robinson, a figure deeply embedded in American music history, co-founded the Motown group The Miracles in 1955 and has written or produced over 4,000 songs for acts like The Temptations and Marvin Gaye.
He is enshrined in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. But now, his legacy faces severe scrutiny under the weight of these explosive accusations.
As the case develops, it threatens to become one of the most high-profile celebrity misconduct lawsuits of 2025, drawing attention to systemic issues of abuse and power in domestic employment settings.
