Smokey Robinson Strikes Back: Tour Earnings in Jeopardy as Legal Team Labels $100M Lawsuit 'Extortionate'

Legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson is back in court after being hit with a multi-million dollar sexual assault lawsuit filed by four of his former housekeepers. The 85-year-old musician has accused the plaintiffs of intentionally prolonging legal proceedings in an effort to damage his public image and disrupt his ongoing international tour, according to Billboard.On June 12, in a court motion, Robinson's lawyers argued that the women—who remain anonymous and are referred to as "Jane Does"—are deliberately delaying evidence collection. The singer's attorney, Christopher Frost, claims the plaintiffs' legal team is avoiding depositions while pushing for a motion to strike Robinson’s counterclaims, a process expected to take several months.Frost also alleges that before filing the civil suit in May, the women initially demanded a $100 million settlement from Robinson and his wife, Frances.

The lawsuit accuses the singer of coercing the housekeepers into unwanted sexual acts over a span of nearly 20 years at his Los Angeles-area residence. Robinson has strongly denied the allegations and has filed a countersuit for defamation, elder abuse, and attempted extortion.The motion asserts that the timing of the lawsuit is calculated to harm Robinson’s financial interests while he is on tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his 1975 album A Quiet Storm.

Frost claims the intent is to “allow the lawsuit to hang over [Robinson] publicly,” causing continuous reputational harm and increasing pressure to settle for a large sum."Plaintiffs and cross-defendants have essentially admitted that it was their intent to bring a salacious suit—not to prosecute anything… and allow the Robinsons to live each and every day under the unfair shadow of public opinion," Frost wrote in the filing, as reported by Billboard.The plaintiffs' legal team, however, calls the motion a form of legal intimidation.Attorneys for the accusers, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, rejected the motion as “retaliatory and chilling.” In a statement issued on Friday, June 13, they argued that compelling a deposition from Jane Doe 2 early in the legal process amounted to harassment. “This is a deliberate effort to re-traumatize a survivor under the guise of legal process,” they said, accusing the defense of trying to intimidate their client and discourage other survivors from coming forward.In addition to the civil lawsuit, the plaintiffs have also filed a criminal complaint with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which is currently investigating the sexual assault allegations.As the legal battle intensifies, both sides continue to present conflicting narratives regarding the motivations and timing behind the high-profile case.