Motown icon Smokey Robinson is being sued for $50 million (£37 million) by four unnamed housekeepers who claim he sexually assaulted them.
In addition to other labor breaches pertaining to salaries, breaks, lunch times, and overtime pay, the 85-year-old is accused of sexual abuse, false detention, carelessness, and gender assault in a case filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Frances Robinson, Robinson's wife, is also named in the case, which alleges that she used "ethnically pejorative words and language" and contributed to a hostile work environment.
Requests for comment from the Robinsons' representatives were not immediately answered, and it was not possible to independently confirm the allegations.
Writing number-one singles like Mary Wells' My Guy and the Temptations' My Girl, Robinson was Motown's first hitmaker.
Born William Robinson Jr. in Michigan, he was one of the label's most well-known recording artists and a talent scout. His hits include Tears of a Clown, Shop Around, and Tracks of My Tears.
He claims to have credits on over 4,000 songs and is inducted into both the Songwriters' and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.
Robinson's accusers were intimidated by his size and fame, and their lawyer made them feel "powerless" at a news appearance in Los Angeles.
"They're Hispanic women who were employed by the Robinsons earning below minimum wage," John Harris stated.
"As low-wage women in vulnerable positions, they lacked the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from sexual assaults."
Because the singer has been accused of sexual misbehavior, including rape, the ladies are suing using the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, and 4.
According to court records, one was the singer's personal assistant, chef, and hairdresser, while the other three were once housekeepers.
All four women allege in the complaint that while his wife was not home, Robinson would call them to different parts of his properties in Chatsworth, Bell Canyon, and Las Vegas.
According to the complaint, he coerced them into having different kinds of intercourse over many years, beginning in 2006, sometimes coming out of a shower nude.
According to Jane Does 1, 3, and 4, Robinson sexually attacked them in the "blue bedroom" of his Chatsworth home. Before the attacks, he allegedly laid down a towel to hide the bed linens.
According to the claims made in Jane Doe 2, Robinson sexually assaulted her in the garage and laundry area of his Chatsworth home, out of sight of closed-circuit television cameras.
Robinson allegedly utilized physical obstacles and threats of force to keep the ladies from escaping during the alleged assaults.
A number of claims of workplace infractions are also included in the case.
According to all four ladies, they worked ten hours a day, six days a week, without receiving overtime or minimum pay. Additionally, they claim that they have worked holidays without being paid for them.
Their complaint claims that the hostile work environment and suspected sexual misconduct caused all of the workers to resign.
Robinson's lawyers have been approached by the BBC to respond to the case.
The singer is not facing any criminal charges or police complaints.
According to a representative for the Los Angeles County District Attorney, because law enforcement had not filed a case, the women's accusations were not being reviewed.
According to Los Angeles police, they have not commented on the situation.
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