Smokey Robinson has been facing a $50 million lawsuit with allegations of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, and hostile work environment from four women who claim to be his former employees. Now, according to TMZ, a fifth woman has come forward and filed a police report with LASD.
According to law enforcement sources, the woman spoke with a deputy, formally reporting her allegations, last Wednesday at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department's Malibu/Lost Hills station.
This fifth allegation follows in wake of the Robinson's ongoing criminal investigation by the department's Special Victims Bureau that began in May, after the four women accused him of sexual assault. Robinson is countersuing them for $500 million.
Robinson's attorney Christopher Frost said, on the new allegation, that "it's not surprising to us that in the context of very public allegations by the four interconnected Jane Does and their shared attorneys, no matter how untrue, news like this might emerge. It's one of the risks of being a celebrity, that others will take the same approach."
He continued, "Our focus is on exposing the falsity of the Doe lawsuit, where the Does and their lawyers have taken a hit and run approach -- making allegations against a beloved 85-year-old cultural icon and subsequently refusing to reveal their identities or unequivocally sit for a deposition, where the truth can actually be determined."
It was recently discovered that in 2015, Robinson faced sexual assault accusations but they were never reported. No charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. “We discovered that our office was presented with a sexual assault allegation against Mr. Robinson in 2015 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,” the district attorney’s office said. They were not able to provide any further info because of an ongoing investigation.
Robinson denies the claims, his lawyers calling the lawsuit’s charges “vile,” “false,” and “an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon.” He is countersuing the initial four women $500 million in damages. The former housekeepers’ lawyers said that this is an act to intimidate the women. “It is a baseless and vindictive legal maneuver designed to re-victimize, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward,” they said.
If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.
