Four former employees have sued Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, alleging the singer sexually assaulted them on multiple occasions and failed to pay them properly for hours worked while claiming that Frances Robinson berated them.

According to the complaint filed May 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Robinsons are accused of negligence, sexual battery and sexual assault, false imprisonment, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, gender violence, and hostile work environment, in addition to a host of labour violations related to wages, breaks, meal periods, and holiday and overtime pay.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys did not immediately respond Tuesday to The LA Times’ requests for comment. A former publicist for the singer said she was not currently working for Smokey Robinson; his talent agent did not respond immediately to The LA Times’ request for comment.

The women are suing under the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1 through 4 due to the sexual misconduct allegations, including rape, that are levelled against the 85-year-old singer, the lawsuit says. Three are former housekeepers and one was the singer’s personal assistant, cook and hairdresser, per court documents reviewed by The LA Times.

All four women allege in the lawsuit that Robinson summoned them to various places at his homes in Chatsworth, Ventura County’s Bell Canyon and Las Vegas when his wife wasn’t around. 

Sometimes emerging naked from a shower, he forced them to have various types of sex with them – vaginal, oral and digital – over a number of years, the lawsuit says.

They accuse Frances Robinson of “regularly screaming... in a hostile manner, using ethnically pejorative words and language” toward them and say in the documents that she knew what her husband was doing and failed to rein him in.

One plaintiff was “unwilling to report... Smokey Robinson’s unlawful acts to the authorities due to her fear of losing her livelihood, familial reprisal, public embarrassment, shame and humiliation to her and her family, the possible adverse effect on her immigration status, as well as being threatened and intimidated by Defendant Smokey Robinson’s well-recognized celebrity status and his influential friends and associates,” the lawsuit says.

That sentiment, with or without the immigration issue, was echoed by the other plaintiffs.

All four plaintiffs say they worked 10 hours a day, six days a week for the Robinsons but were not paid minimum wage or overtime. 

They also worked holidays without receiving a holiday rate, the lawsuit says. The housekeepers made between US$10 (RM42.30) and $18 (RM76.20) an hour while the assistant made US$15 (RM63.50) an hour before getting a raise to US$20 (RM84.75) an hour.

Jane Doe 1 worked for the Robinsons from January 2023 until February 2024. Jane Doe 2 worked from May 2014 to February 2020. Jane Doe 3 worked from February 2012 to April 2024. Jane Doe 4 worked from October 2006 to April 2024.

Minimum wage in California was US$6.75 (RM28.60per hour in 2006 and increased gradually over the years. In 2024, it was $16 (RM67.80) per hour for those not working for large fast-food chains.

The plaintiffs say in the lawsuit that they quit because of the alleged sexual misconduct and hostile work environment.

In addition to legal fees and court costs, the lawsuit seeks general damages of “not less than US$50mil (RM211.8mil) on most of the charges plus punitive damages to be determined at trial. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service