Smokey Robinson has filed a $500 million countersuit towards his accusers, alleging elder abuse and defamation in response to their claims of sexual assault.
The Motown legend, 85, earlier this month was slapped with a $50 million lawsuit from 4 girls, who claimed to be his former staff, which included quite a few disturbing allegations, together with sexual battery and assault.
In his submitting, the “Cruisin’” hitmaker likened the allegations towards him to a shakedown, saying the ladies made “gratuitous and slanderous allegations” at a “media circus” press convention on Could 6.
The singer, born William Robinson Jr., denied any wrongdoing and described the 4 girls — who had been his former housekeepers — as his “extended family.”
In authorized paperwork obtained by Rolling Stone, Robinson famous that he and his partner had gifted the 4 accusers — who allegedly labored as Robinson’s housekeepers between 2012 and 2024 — live performance tickets, automobiles and money throughout their tenure.
The Detroit-born musician additionally famous that he attended the commencement of one among his former housekeeper’s youngsters, and submitted textual content message proof displaying one of many plaintiff’s sending him a pleasant message.
Elsewhere, his authorized group submitted a picture of Robinson’s spouse, Frances Gladney, vacationing in Cabo San Lucas Mexico with one other one of many plaintiffs — a trip for which Robinson footed the invoice for, he claims.
In his submitting, which alleges defamation of character, emotional misery, monetary elder abuse, invasion of privateness and civil conspiracy, Robinson’s authorized group mentioned that the 4 plaintiffs “had the ideal access to take advantage of them,” and requested that the ladies be named within the lawsuit.
The 4 girls named the singer within the $50 million lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom on Could 6, claiming sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, hostile work surroundings, and extra.
Jane Doe 1 — who mentioned she labored as a housekeeper for the couple from Jan. 3, 2023 till February 2024 — claimed she was sexually assaulted by Robinson not less than seven instances till her resignation.
The second accuser claimed that if she refused to have intercourse with the “Baby Come Close” singer, he would threaten that he’d make Frances be “mean” to her.
The third plaintiff mentioned she had labored for Robinson from February 2012 till April 2024, and alleged she was “sexually harassed, sexually assaulted and raped” by the musician “at least 20 times.”
Jane Doe 4 claimed Robinson first sexually assaulted her in 2007 and raped her at his momentary residence in Bell Canyon, California, in 2019.
All 4 accusers claimed they didn’t report the alleged sexual assaults out of concern of dropping their livelihood, public embarrassment, disgrace and humiliation.
John Harris, the lawyer for the 4 girls, mentioned that they consider Robinson is “a serial and sick rapist and must be stopped.”
“Having to tell their [spouses] and children of these despicable actions left them filled with shame and embarrassment. So throughout their dreadful experiences with Mr. Robinson, all four women remained silent,” he mentioned in a press release.
