Smokey Robinson Denies Allegations Of Sexual Violence From Former Employees

JAKARTA - Singer and former executive of Motown Records, Smokey Robinson, denied allegations of sexual violence from four women who had been employees.

Smokey Robinson's attorney, Christopher Frost, stated that what was accused was heinous and false. He said that the lawsuit filed was a way to blackmail the legend.

"As this case goes on, the evidence (the important element that guides us) will show that this is just a bad method to try to extort money from an 85-year-old American icon to be exact 50 million US dollars (IDR 825.25 billion)," Frost said, citing the BBC, Friday, May 9.

Meanwhile, the four women sued under the pseudonym Jane Doe 1, 2, 3 and 4. In a 27-page lawsuit, they detailed several incidents that had occurred since 2006 and accused them of being forced to have sex.

The four women are of Hispanic descent, saying they have not appeared until now for fear of losing their livelihoods, as well as revenge for their families or shame. They fear the allegations could affect their immigration status.

No police reports or criminal charges were filed against Robinson, but their lawyers held a press conference, and later accused Robinson of being a "stranded and sick rapist that must be stopped".

This provoked the anger of Robinson's legal team, who called it a strange attempt to involve the public as an unconscious participant in the media circus they were trying to create.

"We will convey more things in the coming days, when we provide a legal response. And in due course, Mr. Robinson will respond with his own words," Frost said. "We ask anyone who follows this case to postpone the assessment when the evidence is revealed and all the true facts of the case are revealed."

"We will ask the Court to reject the lawsuit. We will also ask the Court to respond that in their statement to the press about Mr. Robinson, the plaintiff's attorney has exceeded the limits of freedom normally permitted, even for lawyers, in this context."