Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation after sexual assault allegations

Smokey Robinson is shown attending the screening for The Apollo during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival connected April 24, 2019, successful New York. Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP hide caption

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Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

This study contains descriptions of carnal and intersexual violence.

LOS ANGELES — Legendary Motown singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Smokey Robinson is being criminally investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department pursuing allegations accusing him of a bid of intersexual assaults dating backmost to 2014.

The accusations came last week successful a civilian suit filed by 4 erstwhile housekeepers who worked for the 85-year-old Robinson, successful which they are asking for $50 cardinal successful damages. An lawyer for the vocalist denies the allegations.

In a written statement, the Sheriff's Department connected Thursday said, "The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating transgression allegations involving William Robinson aka 'Smokey Robinson.' The probe is successful the aboriginal stages, and we person nary further comment."

In the civilian lawsuit, the 4 women, identified lone arsenic Jane Does 1 done 4, impeach Robinson of what their attorney, John Harris, calls "sexual battery, assault, mendacious imprisonment, sex unit and creating a hostile enactment environment."

Robinson lawyer denies accusations 

An lawyer for the performer, Christopher Frost, claims the accusers filed their constabulary study lone aft the civilian suit was filed to publicize their case.

Filing the study requires the Sheriff's Department to unfastened an investigation.

In a written statement, Frost said, "We consciousness assured that a determination volition beryllium made that Mr. Robinson did thing wrong, and that this is simply a hopeless effort to prejudice nationalist sentiment and marque adjacent much of a media circus than the plaintiffs were antecedently capable to create.

"The grounds volition yet show that this is thing much than a manufactured lawsuit."

The civilian suit besides names Robinson's wife, Frances Robinson.

Accusers item immoderate of the alleged acts

Harris past week said, "Our 4 clients person a communal thread. They're Hispanic women who were employed arsenic housekeepers by the Robinsons, earning beneath minimum wage.

"As low-wage workers successful susceptible positions, they lacked the resources and options indispensable to support themselves from intersexual assaults passim their tenure arsenic employees for the Robinsons."

The lawyer says the women did not travel guardant earlier due to the fact that of their migration status.

He elaborate immoderate of the circumstantial allegations.

Harris said successful the lawsuit of Jane Doe #1, Robinson would "summon her to his bluish bedroom, which you'll astir apt beryllium proceeding astir aboriginal on. After having conscionable showered, helium would travel retired of the adjoining bath bare and proceed to unit her to person enactment with him against her will. He sexually assaulted and raped her successful this mode 7 times. She discontinue successful February, 2024 due to the fact that she could nary longer endure these intersexual assaults."

Robinson's legendary euphony career

Robinson, an iconic fig successful the euphony industry, roseate to fame successful the 1960s arsenic a subordinate of the radical the Miracles. Later it became known arsenic Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Based successful Detroit, the radical helped make the "Motown Sound."

Among the group's biggest hits were "You've Really Got a Hold connected Me," "I Second That Emotion" and "The Tears of a Clown."

Later, arsenic a solo performer, his hits included, "Being With You," "One Heartbeat" and "Just to See Her," which earned him a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame successful 1987. The Miracles were inducted successful 2012.

In 2023 Rolling Stone mag named him No. 23 of its database of "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time."

The mag said, "the Motown empire was built astir Robinson — erstwhile helium hits those impossibly delicate precocious notes, it's the essence of romanticist pleading. He was raised connected Fifties doo-wop, but helium invented his ain psyche benignant with the Miracles."