Smokey Robinson sues former housekeepers for defamation over rape allegations
Robinson and his wife Frances Robinson filed the counterclaim on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against the women and their lawyers, whose allegations, they say, were 'fabricated in an extortionate scheme'.
The filing is a fast and forceful legal and public pushback from the 85-year-old Motown music luminary in response to the women's May 6 lawsuit and a May 15 announcement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department that its Special Victims Bureau is 'actively investigating criminal allegations' against Robinson.
The women are seeking at least 50 million dollars, alleging Smokey Robinson repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted them in his home when they worked for him between 2007 and 2024.
They said Frances Robinson, a co-defendant, enabled him and created an abusive workplace.
The counterclaim opens with friendly text messages from the women to contradict their claims against Robinson, whose songs, including Tears Of A Clown and The Tracks Of My Tears, established him among the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s.
The filing says the women 'stayed with the Robinsons year after year', holidayed with them, celebrated holidays with them, exchanged gifts with them, asked for tickets to his concerts, and sought and received help from them including money for dental surgery, financial support for a disabled family member, and 'even a car'.
The filing — which includes photos from the holidays and gatherings as exhibits — says that despite the couple's generosity, the women 'secretly harboured resentment for the Robinsons and sought to enrich themselves through the Robinsons' wealth'.
'Unfortunately, the depths of Plaintiffs' avarice and greed know no bounds,' the counterclaim says.
'During the very time that the Robinsons were being extraordinarily generous with Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs were concocting an extortionate plan to take everything from the Robinsons.'
John Harris and Herbert Hayden, attorneys for the former housekeepers, said in a statement that the defamation suit 'is nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate the survivors of Mr. Robinson's sexual battery and assault. It is a baseless and vindictive legal manoeuvre designed to re-victimise, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward.'
The lawyers said they intend to get the Robinsons' lawsuit thrown out by invoking California's laws against using the courts to silence and intimidate people who sue.
The four women, whose names are withheld in their lawsuit, each allege that Robinson would wait until they were alone with him in his Los Angeles house and then sexually assault and rape them.
One woman said she was assaulted at least 20 times while working for Robinson from 2012 until 2024. Another said she worked for him from 2014 until 2020 and was assaulted at least 23 times.
The Sheriff's Department would give no details on its investigation beyond confirming its existence.
Robinson, who was a central figure in the Motown Records machine with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, is a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
20 hours ago
- NBC News
Smokey Robinson was accused of sex assault in 2015, but officials had insufficient evidence for charges, DA says
LOS ANGELES — A sexual assault allegation was made against Motown legend Smokey Robinson in 2015, but no charges were filed because of inasufficient evidence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. The decade-old allegation, which was presented to the prosecutor's office by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, is not connected to a recent civil suit that accuses Robinson of sexual assault, attorneys for the plaintiffs in that matter said. Robinson, 85, has not been charged with any crime and has denied any misconduct. The celebrity news website TMZ was first to report the 2015 investigation Friday. 'We discovered that our office was presented with a sexual assault allegation against Mr. Robinson in 2015 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,' the district attorney's office said in a statement Friday. 'In that matter, a declination of charges was made based on insufficient evidence,' the district attorney's office said. 'We are not able to provide further information at this time because of an ongoing law enforcement investigation.' The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that it conducted an investigation and that no charges were ever filed. "Due to the confidential nature of the investigation, we cannot provide more information," th sheriff's department said in a statement Friday. Earlier this month, Robinson was sued by four former housekeepers who have accused the "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" singer of sexual assault. The suit, which seeks at least $50 million, also names Robinson's wife and accused her of knowing about the allegations. Robinson has denied the claims, and this week countersued the four women and their attorneys, alleging defamation and seeking at least $500 million. Attorney Christopher Frost, who is representing Robinson and his wife, said his client maintains his innocence. "One unfortunate aspect of celebrity is that it is not uncommon to be the target of spurious and unsubstantiated allegations," Frost said. "Mr. Robinson looks forward to the conclusion of the current investigation, and has no doubt that a similar determination will be reached here." Attorneys for the women suing Robinson said Friday that the declination of the criminal case in 2015 only means there was a lack of evidence. The person who made the allegation in 2015 is not any of the four women who are suing Robinson, according to the attorneys, John Harris and Herbert Hayden. "The statement released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirms that charges were not filed against Mr. Robinson due to insufficient evidence — not because the claims lacked merit," Harris and Hayden said. "This underscores the significant challenges victims face when reporting incidents of sexual assault, particularly when the alleged perpetrator is a powerful and well-known figure," they said. On May 15, , citing a law enforcement source that it did not name. Robinson is an iconic American soul singer who has had a star-studded career spanning more than 70 years. The recording, producing and songwriting legend was a pioneer for Motown Records, founding the vocal group the Miracles in the 1950s and later releasing albums as a solo artist and working as a record executive for the label. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Bully Scots cop subjected police officer ex to terrifying two-day ordeal after she dumped him
He also revealed his warped belief to her family during the two-day rampage 'SHOW HIM THE DOOR' Bully Scots cop subjected police officer ex to terrifying two-day ordeal after she dumped him Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BULLY cop is facing the sack for subjecting his police officer ex to a terrifying two-day ordeal when she dumped him. Constable Neil Robinson, 47, bombarded his former flame, a serving officer, with hundreds of messages and voicemails demanding to know where she was. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 He has been suspended since the allegations came to light in November 2023 Credit: Alamy Edinburgh Sheriff Court was shown ring door bell footage of Robinson driving around the city looking for the terrified cop while she hid from him. The disgraced PC has been suspended since the allegations came to light in November 2023 and has trousered over £75k while the case trundled through court. He was convicted under Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm laws on Tuesday and only now will Police Scotland disciplinary procedures kick in - meaning he remains on the payroll. When new chief constable Jo Farrell took over last year, she agreed with her predecessor Iain Livingstone that the force was 'institutionally racist, sexist and discriminatory.' A source said: 'He's a bully and thinks because he's a man, he can do what he wants. 'Robinson should be nowhere near the public, and definitely nowhere near any females. "If Police Scotland is serious about rooting out misogyny and sexism in their ranks, he should be shown the door now." The court heard that Robinson and his victim had been together for a number of years but split a month before the offences were committed. On November 27 and 28, he began subjecting his ex to a torrent of phone messages and calls, described by court papers as 'menacing' in nature. He was found guilty of sending her numerous messages, repeated phonecalls and voicemails 'that were of a menacing nature' and threatening to attend at the address of a pal and share information about her sexuality without her consent. Cop SACKED for harvesting secret info about Nicola Bulley from police database The voicemails included him demanding 'tell me where you are' and 'I'm going to come and find you - I know where you are.' Evidence led at the trial revealed he was obsessed that she was having an affair with a woman even though there was no truth in that. He also revealed his warped belief to her family during the two-day rampage. The frightened woman eventually reported him to police and he was arrested. Robinson initially faced accusations he had threatened to kill himself and threatened to report her missing to police but he was found not guilty of those charges. He was sentenced to a 100-hour community payback order and banned from contacting his victim for two years. Chief Superintendent Helen Harrison, Head of the Police Scotland Professional Standards Department, said: 'Robinson's actions go against everything Police Scotland stands for. 'Our thoughts are with the victim in this case and I hope this conviction provides them with some measure of closure. 'We understand how difficult it can be to report these kinds of offences, particularly when the perpetrator is a police officer. 'We want the public to be reassured that all reports are thoroughly investigated, no matter when the offending took place or who is involved. 'The vast majority of officers and staff conduct themselves in line with our values of integrity, fairness, respect and a commitment to upholding human rights. 'All officers are bound by our Standards of Professional Behaviour, which apply on and off duty. 'Any instance where an officer fails to uphold our standards will be investigated and appropriate action taken. 'This matter will now be progressed in terms of the Police Service of Scotland (Conduct) Regulations 2014.' It's understood Robinson remains suspended.
Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- Edinburgh Live
'Fantasist' conned Edinburgh hotel into buying 'Queen's favourite tea' - but it was all fake
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A convicted "conman" who bragged that his home-grown Scottish tea was the Queen's "favourite" tricked a five-star hotel in Edinburgh into buying and serving the fake beverage. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard how Thomas Robinson, 55, lied to Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel and the Dorchester Hotel in London by claiming his tea had been grown on farmland in Perthshire, reports The Mirror. Jurors heard how the tea had in fact been imported, repackaged and resold at massively inflated prices. Not only that but he also defrauded genuine Scottish tea growers by selling them plants that he claimed were grown in Scotland. It took jurors just six hours to find Mr Robinson guilty of defrauding tea growers, hotels and tea companies of almost £553,000 following a three-week trial. The tea, which traded as The Wee Tea Plantation, had a variety of names such as Scottish Antlers Tea, Highland Green, Sliver Needles and Dalreoch White. He rented out a former sheep farm in Scotland and even claimed he had a "special biodegradable polymer" that would make tea plants grow quickly. The court heard it looked like a black bin liner. Mr Robinson, who was also known as Thomas O'Brien or Tam O' Braan, created the "CV of a fantasist", according to prosecutors. He claimed he was a multi-millionaire, a bomb disposal expert and that he had invented the 'bag for life'. The fantasist boasted that the tea he had supplied to the Dorchester was "the Queen's favourite". (Image: James Chapelard / SWNS) Mr Robinson's fake claims that "our Scottish-grown teas come from gardens in our farming heartland in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway" was even reprinted on the Balmoral Hotel's Palm Court luxury tea menu. Mr Robinson also claimed to have given a presentation on his methods to the Royal Horticultural Society. The court heard how he had purchased over a tonne of tea grown abroad and had it delivered to an address in Glasgow, using a different company name. Mr Robinson falsely claimed his tea plants had been grown from cuttings and seeds at Dalreoch Farm, at Amulree in Perthshire. He scammed a dozen genuine tea growers in Scotland and one from Jersey between 2015 and 2016 by supplying them with 22,000 plants at £12.50 each. The scammer was actually importing tea plants at €3 each from a horticulturalist in Italy. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Mr Robinson had denied the crimes, claiming paperwork for his defence had been destroyed in a flood and his electronic records had been lost. He told jurors he was "proud" of his work, saying: "I wanted to leave something that would stand in the history of tea." Mr Robinson was eventually investigated in 2017 by Perth and Kinross Council which checked to see if he had a food processing licence. Ian Cowie, Senior Investigator at the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, worked closely on the case after fraud concerns were raised within the food industry. He told The Mirror: "Concerns were raised by individuals within the food industry regarding the legitimacy of Mr Robinson's claims, which was subject to initial examination by environmental health officers of Perth & Kinross Council and Fife Council, who attended businesses premises in their respective areas and ultimately reported their suspicions to FSS that fraud may be involved. "With the assistance of both local authorities, FSS made initial enquiries, and then led on a full criminal investigation after discrepancies in supply sources, product provenance and business representations were identified. "Food fraud is often complex and deliberately concealed. In this case, Mr Robinson proved to be the consummate conman. He is highly articulate and operated in plain sight by courting media attention from press agencies across the UK and Europe to create the public illusion that he had succeeded in establishing commercially viable tea plantations in Scotland, through employing innovative techniques and specialist equipment he had invented. "He constructed a convincing story supported by fabricated documentation, false claims of scientific backing and associations with respected institutions, and went so far as claiming his tea had gained prestigious international tea awards proclaiming his to be the best tea in the world, which of course did not exist. Many of his victims were themselves influenced by his strong media footprint and misled by his explanation on what appeared to be a credible and innovative enterprise. "The investigation was particularly complex due to the nature of the fraud, the use of multiple aliases, and the elaborate efforts made by Mr Robinson to appear legitimate. Tracing the origins of the tea, verifying business transactions and unpicking fabricated claims required extensive time and specialist knowledge. We were committed to ensuring that the evidence gathered would stand up to scrutiny in court." Mr Robinson is due to sentenced at a later date, and faces proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
