Los Angeles police have opened a criminal investigation into Smokey Robinson, after allegations of sexual assault made by four of his former governments, which he denies.
Anonymous women put legal action last week alleging that the Motown star was “a serial and sick rapist” who had attacked them on numerous occasions between 2007 and 2024, in three residences. Robinson and his wife, Frances, are also accused of labor violations, including the non-payment of the minimum wage of women and overtime. Women are looking for financial damage.
Robinson’s lawyer Christopher Frost said that allegations “defy credulity” and qualified them as “vile, false … A ugly method to try to extract money from an 85 -year -old American icon – $ 50 million, to be exact”.
Now, in addition to this civil trial, Robinson faces a criminal investigation.
In a statement to the press, the Sheriff’s Department of the County of Los Angeles said that it “actively investigated criminal allegations involving William Robinson alias” Smokey Robinson “. The investigation is in the early stadiums, and we have no comments.”
Frost responded to the opening of the investigation, saying: “We are convinced that determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that it is a desperate attempt to prejudge public opinion and make even more than a media circus than the complainants were previously able to create.”
Robinson was one of the most prosperous artists to emerge from the Motown label, marking successes under his own name and with his group The Miracles. He has also written a number of pop classics, including my daughter and prepare for temptations.
Last month, he released his latest album What the World needs now, and he is currently on tour in the United States, with British dates that should follow in the Love Supreme Festival plus four national sites. The Guardian contacted the Festival and its British representatives to comment.
