Photo Credit: Becky Mullane / CC by 2.0
A man and a woman accuse Smokey Robinson of sexual assault, bringing the total to six former employees who have alleged the Motown legend abused them.
Four former employees of Motown legend Smokey Robinson accused the 85-year-old of sexual assault in a joint $50 million lawsuit filed in May. Now, two more accusers seek to join the lawsuit this week with their own claims against the singer, who has fervently denied all allegations against him.
Court documents identify an anonymous John Doe who alleges Robinson sexually abused him while he worked as his car detailing valet. According to the man’s claims, the singer repeatedly fondled himself in front of him and once tried to force contact.
The other accuser, a woman identified as Jane Doe 5, is a former housekeeper whose story is similar to those of the first four women who came forward earlier this year. Each of the women claims that while working in the Robinson home, the singer tried on multiple occasions to make them touch him while he masturbated or showered. Some of the women allege they were raped at least once during their employment.
The original lawsuit also lists Robinson’s wife, Frances, as a co-defendant, alleging that she enabled the abuse and harbored a toxic work environment. Further, they allege Frances Robinson knew about the allegations of assault that her husband faced in the past, but did nothing to alleviate further abuse.
The new motion seeks court permission for John Doe and Jane Doe 5 to join the original lawsuit as co-plaintiffs against Robinson. The amended complaint will be the subject of a court hearing scheduled for January 6, while a trial in the case is currently set for October 11, 2027.
According to Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, in a statement to The Independent, the two new accusers are “part of the same group of people who have conspired together against the Robinsons and are layering out their claims for maximum adverse publicity.” Frost previously called the lawsuit an “organized, avaricious campaign to extract money from an 85-year-old legend.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department opened an investigation into Robinson over the housekeepers’ claims of assault after the lawsuit was filed in May. The instances of rape and sexual assault all allegedly occurred between 2007 and 2024.
The Robinsons filed a $500 million defamation lawsuit against the accusers and their attorneys within weeks after their suit was filed. In it, they accused the women of elder abuse, claiming the couple had always been generous to their employees. Robinson, well known for his work with The Miracles, as well as for writing hits for other artists, has continued to perform since the lawsuit.
