Latest news with #ChristopherFrost
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation after sexual assault allegations
Los Angeles police have opened a criminal investigation into Smokey Robinson, after allegations of sexual assault made by four of his former housekeepers, which he denies. The unnamed women filed a lawsuit last week alleging that the Motown star was a 'a serial and sick rapist' who had assaulted them on numerous occasions between 2007 and 2024, across three residences. Robinson and his wife, Frances, are also accused of labour violations, including the failure to pay the women minimum wage and overtime. The women are seeking financial damages. Robinson's lawyer Christopher Frost said the allegations 'defy credulity' and called them 'vile, false … an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon – $50m, to be exact'. Now, in addition to that civil lawsuit, Robinson is facing a criminal investigation. In a statement to the press, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it is 'actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson AKA 'Smokey Robinson'. The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment.' Frost responded to the opening of the investigation, saying: 'We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the plaintiffs were previously able to create.' Robinson was one of the most successful artists to emerge from the Motown label, scoring hits under his own name and with his group the Miracles. He also wrote a number of pop classics including My Girl and Get Ready for the Temptations. Last month he released his latest album What the World Needs Now, and he is currently touring the US, with UK dates scheduled to follow in July at Love Supreme festival plus four nationwide venues. The Guardian has contacted the festival and his UK representatives for comment.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation following rape allegations
Smokey Robinson is under criminal investigation after being accused of rape and sexual assault. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has confirmed that its special victims bureau is now "actively investigating criminal allegations" against the 85-year-old music star, who is facing accusations of rape and sexual assault from four former housekeepers. In a statement shared with Fox News, a representative for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said: "The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson aka 'Smokey Robinson.' The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment." Earlier this month, the housekeepers filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Motown icon. The women claim that the alleged assaults took place between 2007 and 2024. Christopher Frost, Robinson's lawyer, has welcomed the police investigation and is confident that his client will clear his name. He said in a statement to Fox News: "We are aware that a police report has now been filed by the Plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit. It is clear to us what is happening here. Plaintiffs filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit. "This means only that the police are now required to investigate. We welcome that investigation, which involves Plaintiffs who continue to hide their identities, because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing." Frost is convinced that Robinson will prove he "did nothing wrong". He said: "We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create. "The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice." Meanwhile, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, the lawyers for the women, have welcomed the decision to launch a criminal investigation. They said in a statement: "Our clients intend to fully co-operate with LASD's ongoing investigation in the pursuit of seeking justice for themselves and others that may have been similarly assaulted by him."
Fox News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation by LA sheriff for sexual assault allegations
Smokey Robinson is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after he was accused of sexual assault by four anonymous former employees. On Thursday, the sheriff's department confirmed that it has opened an investigation into the allegations made against the 85-year-old singer in a lawsuit filed last Tuesday. "The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson aka 'Smokey Robinson.' The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment," a representative for the LASD said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. Robinson's lawyer, Christopher Frost, responded in a statement to Fox News Digital, writing, "We are aware that a police report has now been filed by the Plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit. It is clear to us what is happening here. Plaintiffs filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit. " He continued, "This means only that the police are now required to investigate. We welcome that investigation, which involves Plaintiffs who continue to hide their identities, because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing." "We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create," Frost added. "The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice." Robinson was accused of assaulting and raping four former housekeepers who worked at his Chatsworth home between 2006 and 2024, according to the lawsuit. The accusers are seeking $50 million in damages.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation after sexual assault claims
Motown legend Smokey Robinson is under criminal investigation in Los Angeles over accusations of sexual assault. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed it had launched a formal inquiry into the allegations, saying the probe was in the "early stages". The investigation comes after a lawsuit was filed last week by four anonymous housekeepers against the 85-year-old singer-songwriter, accusing him sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and gender Robinson has denied the allegations. His lawyer has said those behind the accusations are after the musician's money, and he welcomed the police investigation "because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing". "We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create," the attorney, Christopher Frost, said in a statement to the BBC. He argued the police investigation was only opened because the plaintiffs filed a formal report with their allegations and said the claims were "manufactured" and designed to "tarnish the good names" of the musician and his wife, who is also named in the lawsuit and accused of contributing to a hostile work environment. The sheriff's department told the BBC in a statement that its Special Victims Bureau was "actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson AKA 'Smokey Robinson.' The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment."The women filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on 6 May under the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1, 2, 3 and the 27-page legal action, they allege several incidents that they say dated back to 2006, and accuse Mr Robinson of pressuring them into four women, who are of Hispanic descent, said they had not come forward until now because they feared losing their livelihoods, familial reprisal or embarrassment. Some were concerned the allegations could affect their immigration are seeking at least $50m (£38m) in damages and a jury Robinson was Motown's first hitmaker, writing number one records like Mary Wells' My Guy and The Temptations' My was both a talent scout for the record label and one of its most prominent recording artists in his own right, known for songs like Tracks of My Tears, Shop Around and Tears of a has spots in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and claims to have credits on more than 4,000 women's lawyers held a press conference last week after filing the lawsuit, accusing Mr Robinson of being a "serial and sick rapist" who "must be stopped".Mr Robinson's legal team called the event a "bizarre" attempt "to enlist the public as an unwitting participant in the media circus they are trying to create"."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," Mr Frost said, noting that the musician's legal team plans to ask for the case to be dismissed. "We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold."
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Smokey Robinson Sexual Assault Investigation Opened as Singer's Attorney Slams 'Desperate Attempt'
Smokey Robinson is now facing a sexual assault investigation after four former housekeepers filed a $50 million lawsuit against him Robinson's attorney Christopher Frost called the investigation a "desperate attempt" The plaintiffs' attorneys were "pleased" an investigation was openedSmokey Robinson is now being investigated for sexual assault after in light of the allegations leveled against him in a $50 million lawsuit filed by four former housekeepers. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Thursday, May 15, attorney Christopher Frost slammed the investigation as a "desperate attempt" as the women "continue to hide their identities in what he calls "a manufactured lawsuit." He claimed that police are now "required to investigate" because the plaintiffs filed a police report after they filed a $50 million lawsuit against the 85-year-old American icon, where he was accused of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and creating a hostile work environment by four women who previously worked for the star and his wife, Frances, for nearly 20 years. "We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create," said Frost. "The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice." The plaintiffs' attorneys, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, also shared a statement with PEOPLE on Thursday, May 15 about the forthcoming sexual assault investigation, saying they were "pleased" that a "criminal investigation" against Robinson had been opened. "Our clients intend to fully cooperate with LASD's ongoing investigation in the pursuit of seeking justice for themselves and others that may have been similarly assaulted by him," they said. On May 6, Robinson was sued for $50 million in a sexual assault lawsuit. The women, who all remained anonymous, claimed that Robinson 'repeatedly forced his fingers and penis into their vaginas, causing severe and excruciating pain' without consent, according to the complaint. They also alleged he 'physical barriers, force, threats of force' and more to stop them from leaving during the alleged assaults, like locking the door. Also named in the suit is Robinson's wife Frances, whom he married in 2002. The plaintiffs claim that she had 'full knowledge of his prior acts of sexual misconduct' and 'failed to take the appropriate corrective action' to prevent his 'deviant misconduct,' even after settling cases with other women who experienced similar alleged assaults by the Motown star. In the complaint, each woman claims to have resigned from her role because of Robinson's alleged misconduct. The plaintiffs claim they did not report Robinson's alleged abuse to authorities due to fear of 'losing their livelihood, familial reprisal, public embarrassment, shame and humiliation,' and also because they felt 'threatened and intimidated' by the artist's celebrity status. In the suit, Jane Doe 1 claims she was assaulted by Robinson at least seven times, while Jane Doe 2 claims she was assaulted by Robinson a minimum of 23 times. According to the complaint, Jane Doe 3 claims Robinson 'raped' her 'at least 20 times' throughout 12 years. Meanwhile, Jane Doe 4 said she was first raped by the Robinson in 2007, and the alleged assaults "continued" before she quit in 2024. On May 7, Robinson told the Daily Mail that he was 'appalled' by the allegations in a brief phone call. In a statement to PEOPLE, the plaintiffs' attorneys defended their clients' "truthful claims, which are neither false nor vile," and described Robinson's "despicable criminal acts." Read the original article on People
