Motown legend Smokey Robinson has alleged in a court filing that a housekeeper suing him for sexual assault burglarized his family's storage unit, stealing thousands in property. The claim, supported by security footage, adds a new layer to the ongoing civil litigation involving six anonymous former employees. Robinson's team is seeking a restraining order to prevent further access.
Background on the Lawsuit
Smokey Robinson, the 85-year-old Motown icon, is facing a civil sexual abuse lawsuit filed by six anonymous former household employees. The case began in May 2025 with claims from four female housekeepers seeking $50 million, alleging repeated assaults over years of employment. It expanded last month to include a fifth female housekeeper and a male car mechanic. Robinson has countersued, accusing the plaintiffs of defamation and elder abuse, calling their allegations extortionate falsehoods. A parallel criminal investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is underway, but no charges have been filed.
The Burglary Allegation
In a motion filed on December 8, 2025, in Los Angeles court, Robinson's attorney, Christopher Frost, focused on Jane Doe 4, who claims Robinson raped her multiple times between 2007 and 2024 while she worked as his housekeeper. Frost stated that Jane Doe 4 retained a key to the family's storage unit and used it on November 22, 2025, to access the facility with two others. Security footage reportedly shows the group inside for about 40 minutes, removing boxes and other items valued at thousands of dollars. Frances Robinson, Smokey's wife, discovered the incident two weeks later during a visit.
Legal Responses and Next Steps
Robinson's team is requesting a restraining order to bar Jane Doe 4 from approaching the couple or the property, citing safety concerns for the elderly pair. Frost described the act as a 'blatantly criminal' move motivated by greed, tying it to broader claims of financial elder abuse and invasion of privacy.
The plaintiff's attorney, John W. Harris, denied the allegations, stating Jane Doe 4 has not visited the unit since leaving employment. Harris called the claims inflammatory and rooted in racist tropes, aimed at discrediting a survivor. He expressed eagerness to review the footage in discovery to reveal what he termed baseless retaliation.
Additional tensions arose during a recent deposition where Jane Doe 4 reportedly left early amid heated questioning. Frost accused her of avoiding scrutiny, while Harris blamed Frost's hostile conduct and demanded a different lawyer for future sessions. The case continues to unfold with ongoing discovery disputes.