LOS ANGELES - Four anonymous housekeepers are suing Motown legend Smokey Robinson for $50 million (£37 million), accusing him of sexual assault.
A complaint filed in Los Angeles superior court accuses the 85-year-old of sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and gender violence, in addition to a number of labour violations related to wages, breaks, meal times and overtime pay.
The lawsuit also names Robinson's wife, Frances Robinson, claiming she contributed to a hostile work environment, and used "ethnically pejorative words and language".
Representatives for the Robinsons did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the accusations could not be independently verified.
Robinson was Motown's first hitmaker, writing number one hits like Mary Wells' My Guy and the Temptations' My Girl.
Born William Robinson Jr in Michigan, he was both a talent scout for the record label and one of its most prominent recording artists, 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.
Robinson's reputation and stature was an intimidating factor for his accusers, who were made to feel "powerless", their lawyer said at a press conference in Los Angeles.
"They're Hispanic women who were employed by the Robinsons earning below minimum wage," said John Harris.
"As low-wage women in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from sexual assaults."
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.
Three are former housekeepers and one was the singer's personal assistant, cook and hairdresser, according to court documents.
In the lawsuit, all four women claim that Robinson would summon them to various areas of his properties in Chatsworth, Bell Canyon and Las Vegas, at times when his wife was away.
Sometimes emerging naked from a shower, he forced them to have various types of sex over a number of years, starting in 2006, the lawsuit alleges. (BBC/ Getty Images)
