Motown legend Smokey Robinson has denied allegations of sexual assault that were made by several former employees.
In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, four female housekeepers accused the singer-songwriter of sexual battery including rape, plus false imprisonment and a number of labour violations.
In a statement to the BBC, Robinson’s lawyer Christopher Frost called the allegations “vile” and “false”.
“As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon – $50 million, to be exact,” he said.
Robinson was Motown’s first hitmaker, writing number one hits like Mary Wells’ My Guy and the Temptations’ My Girl.
He was both a talent scout for the record label and one of its most prominent recording artists in his own right, known for songs like Tracks of My Tears, Shop Around and Tears of a Clown.
He has spots in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Halls of Fame, and claims to have credits on more than 4,000 songs.
His second wife, Frances, was also named in Tuesday’s lawsuit, which claimed she contributed to a hostile work environment and failed to stop Robinson’s alleged sexual misconduct.
The women are suing under the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1, 2, 3 and 4, due to the sexual misconduct allegations, including rape, being levelled against the musician.
In the 27-page lawsuit they detail several incidents dating back to 2006 and allege they were pressured into sex.
All four women, who are of Hispanic descent, said they had not come forward until now because they feared losing their livelihood, familial reprisal or embarrassment. Some were concerned the allegations could affect their immigration status.
They are seeking at least $50m in damages and a jury trial.
No police reports or criminal charges have been filed against the musician.
The women’s lawyers held a press conference on Tuesday, accusing Robinson of being a “serial and sick rapist” who “must be stopped”.
This drew the ire of the Robinson’s legal team, who called it a “bizarre” attempt “to enlist the public as an unwitting participant in the media circus they are trying to create”.
“We will have more to say in the coming days as we make our legal response, and in time Mr Robinson will respond in his own words,” Mr Frost said.
“We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold.
“We will be asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuit. We will also be asking the Court to address that in their statements to the press about Mr Robinson, the plaintiff’s attorneys have reached beyond the bounds of liberties that even lawyers are typically allowed in this context.”
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