The music world was left in shock after a bombshell lawsuit against one of its legends was revealed on Tuesday (May 6). Smokey Robinson was accused of sexually assaulting four of his former employees, and we’ve all been waiting to see how he would respond. Now, we got our answer, but it’s only sparking more questions.
The Motown legend had three words to say in response to the allegations against him. He broke his silence to Dailymail.com, and according to the outlet, he did not sound well. The 85-year-old reportedly “began mumbling incoherently” during the call before giving the outlet one sentence as a response.
“I am appalled,” Robinson said. Whenever a shocking lawsuit like this drops, it’s rare we hear directly from the defendant. Robinson then told Dailymail.com “I can’t speak about this right now” before ending the call.
Soon after this, however, Robinson’s lawyer released a statement to the media on his behalf. Attorney Christopher Frost wrote to the Independent saying, “We are responding on behalf of our clients Smokey and Frances Robinson. We will have more to say in the coming days as we make our legal response, and in time Mr. Robinson will respond in his own words.”
Frost continued, “As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon — $50 million, to be exact.”
According to Frost, the allegations against his client are “vile” and “false.” He continued, “We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold.” He plans to ask the court to completely dismiss the lawsuit, according to his statement.
As The Root previously reported, the four women suing Robinson are requesting $50 million in damages. They each claimed Robinson sexually assaulted them separately as far back as 2007. Jane Doe 1 claimed Robinson’s wife, Frances, had “full knowledge of his prior acts of sexual misconduct” but “failed to take the appropriate corrective action.”
Jane Doe 2 alleged her assault by Robinson began in 2016, while she was working as a housekeeper. According to the suit, she said Robinson “forcibly penetrate[d] her with his erect penis without using a condom...He would enjoy ejaculating all over JD2’s face, much to his satisfaction and her abject humiliation.”
A third woman, Jane Doe 3, claimed the “Cruisin’” singer raped her “at least 20 times” between 2012 and 2024. Jane Doe 4 alleged the earliest sexual misconduct out of the four women. She said her sexual assault began in 2007. She resigned in 2024.
The lawsuit comes just weeks after the release of Robinson’s newest album “What The World Needs Now.” The accusers have requested a jury trial.