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SOURCE: nbclosangeles.com
Smokey Robinson, who is under criminal investigation after four former housekeepers accused him of sexual assault, filed a $500 million defamation lawsuit against his accusers, alleging the women orchestrated with their attorney to make a “public spectacle” to extort money.
The women, identified as Jane Does 1-4, had filed their suit earlier this month, alleging the Motown singer repeatedly abused them for years in his Chatsworth home.
Following the accuser’s news conference, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed its investigators are examining the claims.
The new complaint filed on behalf of Robinson and his wife, Frances, alleged the four women had tried to extort $100 million from the couple in 2024. The plaintiffs are now seeking damages totaling no less than $50 million.
“When the Robinsons resisted the extortionate demands, Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit,” the cross-complaint statement.
Robinson’s legal team also highlighted that while the women worked for the Robinson family as many as 18 years, they had “never once claimed to have been sexually assaulted or mistreated” during their employment.
“Plaintiffs stayed with the Robinsons year after year. Plaintiffs and Ms. Robinson vacationed together,” the complaint said, submitting past text exchanges between the Robinsons and the four women to show “they treated them as extended family.”
And by holding a news conference, Robinson’s legal team argued, the accusers damaged the singer’s reputation as he was called a “serial and sick rapist.”
“The Robinsons are afraid to open the newspaper, read the internet, or even go out in public for fear of what they may hear or see next, no matter how fabricated,” the complaint said, saying the allegations may impact Robinson’s new album and live tour.
In response to the cross complaint, the attorneys for the women said it’s an attempt to silence the survivors of sexual battery and assault.
“The cross-complaint filed by Mr. Christopher Frost on behalf of William ‘Smokey’ Robinson and Frances Robinson, is nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate the survivors of Mr. Robinson’s sexual battery and assault,” the attorneys said in a statement. “It is a baseless and vindictive legal maneuver designed to re-victimize, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward. This type of retaliatory litigation is precisely what California’s anti-SLAPP laws were enacted to prevent.
“Jane Does 1-4 exercised their fundamental constitutional right to seek redress through the courts by filing a civil action to expose and hold accountable behavior that no one should have to endure. In response, Mr. Robinson, filed a cross-complaint that mischaracterizes the facts and seeks to punish his victims for speaking out.
“This cross-complaint will not stand. We are filing an anti-SLAPP motion to strike it in its entirety and will seek attorneys’ fees and costs for having to defend against this abusive tactic.
“Jane Does 1-4 remain committed to seeking justice—not only for themselves but for all survivors who have been silenced by fear of retaliation. This case is about accountability, transparency, and ensuring that power is not used to harm or suppress others.”
An anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) motion is used to request the court dismiss a lawsuit based on its possible impact on First Amendment rights and matters of public participation.
During the accusers’ May 6 news conference, three of the women appeared in front of cameras, wearing masks to protect their privacy. One of their lawyers, John Harris, had said Robinson took advantage of the four low-wage, Hispanic workers in vulnerable positions without “resources and options to protect themselves.”
The women also accused Frances Robinson of perpetuating a hostile work environment.
Some of the women also said they were concerned about possible adverse effects on their immigration status, according to the suit.
