Smokey Robinson accused of sexual attack via 4 former workers – National | Globalnews.ca

Smokey Robinson has been accused of sexual abuse via 4 of his former housekeepers in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The girls allege he many times sexually assaulted and raped them whilst they labored for him at his house in Chatsworth, Calif.

The go well with, seen via Global News, seeks a minimum of US$50 million in damages over the alleged attacks, which the ladies say came about between 2006 and 2024, and labour violations, together with a antagonistic paintings atmosphere, illegally lengthy hours and loss of pay.

“Obviously, no amount can compensate these women for what Mr. Robinson subjected them to,” the ladies’s attorney, John Harris, stated at a information convention on Tuesday.

The 4 girls every say Robinson would wait till he used to be on my own with them in his Los Angeles house, then sexually attack and rape them.

“We believe that Mr. Robinson is a serial and sick rapist, and must be stopped,” Harris stated.

Each lady stated they ultimately give up over the attacks, regardless that in some instances it took a number of years. They stated they feared coming ahead over fears of retaliation, public disgrace and imaginable results on their immigration standing.

“Having to tell their husband and children of these despicable actions left them filled with shame and embarrassment,” Harris added. “So throughout their dreadful experiences with Mr. Robinson, all four women remained silent.”

Three of the ladies seemed in individual on the information convention in Los Angeles on Tuesday. They wore mask to offer protection to their privateness and didn’t talk. All 4 girls additionally withheld their criminal names within the courtroom paperwork, the place they’re known as Jane Does.

Harris stated there used to be a “common thread” between all the girls.

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They “were Hispanic women employed as housekeepers earning below minimum wage,” Harris stated. “As low-wage workers in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options to protect themselves.”

He stated that as low-wage earners, additionally they all feared “missing a payday, and not being able to afford rent or buy food for their families.”

The lawsuit additionally names Robinson’s spouse, Frances Gladney, as a defendant, alleging she enabled his behaviour regardless of figuring out about previous sexual misconduct. It additionally blames her for the antagonistic paintings atmosphere, announcing she berated them with language that integrated ethnic slurs.

Some of the plaintiffs labored for Robinson on the identical time, Harris published, however they had been too embarrassed to expose the alleged attacks.

The go well with alleges that Jane Doe 1 stated she labored for the couple for a yr ahead of quitting in 2024 and used to be assaulted a minimum of seven occasions. Jane Doe 1 stated the primary sexual attack passed off in March 2023 and the attacks persisted till she resigned in February 2024. She labored at the weekends when the remainder of the team of workers used to be off and alleged that Robinson “would call her into his blue bedroom, lock the door and escort their dog Shilo out of the room” ahead of sexually assaulting her, in step with the go well with.

The go well with alleges that Robinson assaulted Jane Doe 2 a minimum of 23 occasions from May 2014 to February 2020. In the go well with, Jane Doe 2 claimed that Robinson would textual content message her and ask her to fulfill in puts in his house with out safety cameras, just like the laundry room or storage, ahead of sexually assaulting her.

Jane Doe 3 alleges that Robinson assaulted her a minimum of 20 occasions throughout the 12 years she labored for him, starting in 2012.

Jane Doe 4, who stated she additionally acted as Gladney’s private assistant, hairdresser and prepare dinner, labored for the couple from October 2006 till she resigned in April 2024. She cited equivalent reviews throughout her 18 years operating for the couple, however didn’t say how incessantly she used to be assaulted.

Herbert Hayden, some other attorney representing the ladies, stated that whilst they really feel the attacks are worthy of prison investigation, the ladies have now not filed police stories, in line with the similar fears that saved them from coming ahead.

The go well with seeks damages in line with sexual battery, attack, false imprisonment, gender violence and different allegations.

“Obviously, no amount of money can compensate these women for what Mr. Robinson put them through,” Harris stated. But he stated the $50 million used to be warranted “based on the gravity of Mr. Robinson’s despicable and reprehensible misconduct.”

Robinson and his representatives have now not publicly commented at the case. He is these days on excursion and scheduled to accomplish on Friday in Mississippi.

Robinson, a member of each the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, used to be a number of the largest hitmakers of the 1960s — each together with his workforce the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs together with Tears of a Clown and The Tracks of My Tears.

He used to be a central a part of the Motown Records track gadget in his native land of Detroit as an artist, manufacturer and songwriter for different artists.

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If you or somebody you recognize is experiencing abuse or is enthusiastic about an abusive state of affairs, please talk over with the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for assist. They also are reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.

— With information from The Associated Press

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