Four women have filed a lawsuit against Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, alleging sexual battery and assault.
The complaint, which is seeking $50 million in damages, was filed on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court naming Smokey Robinson, whose legal name is William Robinson Jr. and his wife, Frances Robinson, as the defendants.
Four women have filed a lawsuit against Smokey Robinson and his wife, alleging sexual battery, assault and workplace violations.
Tiffany Rose
The damages listed in the lawsuit include sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and several workplace violations.
The women, referred to as Jane Does, are described as having been housekeepers for the Robinsons at their Chatsworth residence.
"We believe that Mr. Robinson is a serial and sick rapist, and must be stopped," said John Harris, the women's attorney, during a meeting with the press on Tuesday. "I will not describe the details of the sexual assaults and rapes because they are too graphic and disturbing for this news conference."
All of the women claim they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by Robinson, with one of the claims dating back to 2007. According to the lawsuit, all of the women allege they were forced to resign due to the assault and harassment.
"Our four clients have a common thread: they're Hispanic women," Harris said.
The suit accuses Robsinon's wife of failing to take action to prevent the alleged acts. It also claims she had prior knowledge that her husband had previously settled other cases with women who experienced similar situations.
The women claim that during the alleged assaults, Robinson used physical barriers and threats of force to prevent them from fleeing. One of the women says that Robinson would text her at various times throughout her workday, asking to meet in different parts of his Los Angeles mansion where there were no cameras.
"We do have evidence of some of the misconduct," Harris said.
The lawsuit also includes several allegations of workplace violations. One of the women claims that while she worked for the Robinsons, she was only paid $10 per hour. They all claim they were not given proper rest periods and were not properly compensated for working overtime hours.
None of the women brought the allegations to law enforcement for fear of loss of livelihood, familial reprisal and the possible adverse effect on their immigration status.
"Having to tell their husband and children of these despicable actions left them filled with shame and embarrassment," Harris said. "So throughout their dreadful experiences with Mr. Robinson, all four women remained silent."
The court documents allege Robinson's wife created a hostile work environment, which included derogatory comments and emotional distress.
CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the Robinsons for a comment.
More from CBS News
Chelsea Hylton