Smokey Robinson and his wife Frances Robinson have taken legal action against the four women who filed a lawsuit accusing the music icon of rape and sexual assault.
As Blavity reported, the four women are former employees and they filed a $50 million lawsuit against Robinson on May 6. The civil action includes 16 claims against the 85-year-old for repeatedly sexually assaulting each woman at his residences for several years.
All four women’s accounts of the events were similar, stating that Robinson wanted them to bathe and lie on top of a towel before he physically engaged with them. Additionally, they alleged that his wife was aware of what Robinson was doing and turned a blind eye to it. Court documents mention that Frances underpaid the housekeepers and subjected them to a “hostile work environment,” according to Deadline.
Smokey Robinson’s $500M countersuit claims defamation and elderly abuse
Robinson is now under criminal investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for rape, sexual assault and creating a hostile work environment charges. The couple is now countersuing the plaintiffs in a $500 million defamation and elder abuse proceeding.
“The Robinsons did not abuse, harm or take advantage of plaintiffs; they treated plaintiffs with the utmost kindness and generosity,” the May 28-filed litigation stated, Deadline reported. “Unfortunately, the depths of plaintiffs’ avarice and greed knows no bounds.”
The Robinsons and their lawyer, Christopher Frost, revealed that the women kept increasing the price of their lawsuit. They initially wanted $1 million but then raised the dollar amount to $100 million in exchange for not pursuing the “fabricated” complaint. When their inquiry was denied, they then demanded $50 million.
Robinson says the false stories have heavily affected his long-standing career. He alleges that his latest album, What The World Needs Now, has also been impacted as a result of the allegations.
Smokey Robinson fires back by accusing the plaintiffs of stealing from his home
The day the four women took their civil case to court, they also held a press conference with their attorneys at Hayden & Harris. In response, the Robinsons had no choice but to engage in legal combat. In a separate claim, they’re hoping to have the plaintiff’s lawsuit dismissed.
“Because of Plaintiffs’ slanderous statements, the Robinsons had no choice but to seek legal relief,” the motion mentions. “Plaintiffs may be able to make slanderous statements in a legal pleading (for now), but they are not entitled to do so in gratuitous, self-serving press conferences.”
The countersuit lists various forms of support the Robinsons claim to have provided the women, ranging from dental care to cars, while also implying that they took advantage of their generosity.
“Shortly after the Plaintiffs left their jobs, Ms. Robinson discovered that several of her financial records (including bank statements) were missing,” as detailed in the 10-claim countersuit. “At least one Plaintiff had access to and knew exactly where these records were kept.”
Continuing in that direction, the filing alleges: “As a result of their roles as household staff, they had particular knowledge of where the Robinsons’ valuables were kept, including a hidden safe and gold Krugerrands. That safe and the valuables it contained and several gold Kruggerands were later stolen by someone who knew precisely where they were located. The Robinsons reported the theft to the police.”
The four accusers have not yet responded to Robinson’s countersuit.
