Motown icon Smokey Robinson is facing two additional allegations of sexual assault after new plaintiffs moved to join a $50 million lawsuit filed earlier this year by four of his former housekeepers.
According to legal documents obtained by Entertainment Weekly, the filings submitted Wednesday seek to add two new accusers — identified as John Doe 1 and Jane Doe 5 — to the complaint.
The original lawsuit, filed in May, accuses the 85-year-old singer of repeatedly sexually assaulting house staff throughout their employment. Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, is also named as a defendant, with plaintiffs alleging she fostered a hostile work environment and failed to protect employees.
Allegations from John Doe 1
The amended complaint states that John Doe 1 began working for the Robinsons in 2013 at their Chatsworth, Calif., residence, providing automobile detailing services on a recurring basis. He alleges that Robinson began sexually harassing him shortly after he was hired — including approaching him while wearing only underwear and allegedly touching himself inappropriately.
The suit claims these encounters were accompanied by “vulgar and offensive advances,” prompting the employee to tell Robinson to “put some clothes on.” John Doe 1 alleges his services were terminated soon after an incident in which Robinson allegedly grabbed his hand and attempted to force it “onto his erect penis.” He says he pulled away and immediately left the property.
According to the complaint, Frances Robinson contacted him again in 2023 to request his services, but the alleged behavior continued. The filing states that the harassment caused him “humiliation, emotional distress, and ongoing fear for his safety and dignity.” He claims he quit again after learning of “similar conduct toward other victims.”
Allegations from Jane Doe 5
Jane Doe 5 says she worked for the Robinsons as a housekeeper beginning in 2005. Though she alleges no misconduct during her early employment, she claims the harassment began after she returned from a work-related injury in 2007 and continued until she left in 2011.
The complaint alleges that Robinson frequently summoned her to a second-floor bathroom while he was showering or preparing to exit the shower, asking her to scrub his back. On “more than 10 occasions,” she claims he grabbed her hand and attempted to force her to touch his genitals. She says she resisted and left the bathroom each time.
The filing also claims Robinson regularly walked around the home naked and intentionally brushed his elbow against her chest. Jane Doe 5 alleges the repeated unwanted touching left her so traumatized that she underwent breast-reduction surgery in 2015.
She further claims Robinson propositioned her for sex, telling her, “I like you and want to touch all of you,” and at one point asked her to meet him at a hotel. The complaint alleges that Frances Robinson was aware of her husband’s behavior and also verbally abused Jane Doe 5, including using “ethnically pejorative language.”
Attorneys respond
“We commend these two courageous survivors for stepping forward and adding their voices to this case,” plaintiff attorney John W. Harris told Entertainment Weekly. “We look forward to advocating for them vigorously as they pursue the justice they deserve.”
Robinson has denied all allegations. His attorney, Christopher Frost, characterized the new claims as part of what he called a coordinated effort to damage the singer’s reputation.
“These plaintiffs are part of the same group of people who have conspired together against the Robinsons and are layering out their claims for maximum adverse publicity,” Frost said in a statement to EW. He added that the Robinsons have filed their own suit alleging defamation, civil conspiracy, and elder abuse, and accused the plaintiffs of pursuing “an organized, avaricious campaign to extract money from an 85-year-old legend.
“For obvious reasons, this group of Does and their attorneys refuse to be forthcoming with all the evidence possible to investigate their own claims. Once the public can see the truth, their avaricious motives and fabricated claims will be revealed.”