The Los Angeles County Sheriff department opened a criminal investigation into the singer of Motown Smokey Robinson after four of his former staff members accused him of sexual assault and wage theft.
Robinson, 85, was continued earlier this month by three former housekeeper and a former personal assistant who alleges that the singer, whose legal name is William Robinson, forced them to have sex with him and did not pay the minimum wage or overtime.
The trial, which was filed with the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, also accuses the singer’s wife, Frances Robinson, of regularly shouting to employees, of using ethnically pejorative words and of doing nothing to prevent the sexual abuse of her husband despite her knowledge of her actions.
The couple’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, denied allegations. The details of the Sheriff department survey were not immediately provided on Thursday.
“The office of special victims of the Sheriff’s Department of Los Angeles is actively investigating criminal allegations with William Robinson, alias” Smokey Robinson “,” said department spokesperson Nishida. “The investigation is in the early stadiums, and we have no comments.”
Frost said that the Sheriff department is required to investigate allegations because women had submitted a police report after going beyond the pursuit.
In a statement, Frost described the police report “a desperate attempt to harm public opinion and make even more media circus than the complainants had previously been able to create” and said that his customers welcome the investigation.
“The file will ultimately demonstrate that it is nothing more than a manufactured trial intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than misuse,” said the press release.
The trial indicates that women previously had reservations concerning the declaration of the alleged abuse of Robinson to the authorities for several reasons, in particular the fear of immigration status, the loss of their livelihoods, public humiliation and the intimidation of Robinson and his influential friends.
Lawyers representing the four women – who filed the trial like Jane – said they were happy to learn that the Sheriff department had opened an investigation into allegations of sexual assault by their customers.
“Our customers intend to cooperate fully with the LASD in progress in pursuit of the search for justice for themselves and other people who may have been attacked in a similar way by him (Robinson),” said lawyer John Harris and Herbert Hayden in a statement.
The civil trial accuses the robins of negligence, sexual drums and sexual assault, false imprisonment, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, gender violence and a hostile work environment, in addition to violations of work linked to wages, breaks, meal periods and holidays and remuneration, according to the complaint.
Women allege that the singer “Tracks of My Tears” has forced to have different types of sexual relations with him – vaginal, oral and digital – over the years in her catworth, Bell Canyon and Las Vegas houses.
Jane Doe 1 worked for the Robinsons from January 2023 to February 2024. Jane Doe 2 worked from May 2014 to February 2020. Jane Doe 3 worked from February 2012 to April 2024 and Jane Doe 4 worked from October 2006 to April 2024.
The staff of Times Christie d’Elilla and Richard Winton contributed to this report.
California Daily Newspapers