LOS ANGELES — Four former housekeepers of Smokey Robinson allege in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the Motown music luminary repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them while they worked for him.

The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court seeks at least $50 million in damages over the alleged assaults, which the women say took place between 2007 and 2024, and labor violations including a hostile work environment, illegally long hours and lack of pay.

A message seeking comment from a representative for the 85-year-old Robinson was not immediately answered.

The four women each say that Robinson would wait until he was alone with them in his Los Angeles house then sexually assault and rape them over their objections.

“We believe that Mr. Robinson is a serial and sick rapist, and must be stopped,” the women's attorney John Harris said at a news conference.

All said they eventually quit over the assaults, though in some cases it took several years. And all said they feared coming forward over fears of retaliation, public shame and possible effects on their immigration status.

“Having to tell their husband and children of these despicable actions left them filled with shame and embarrassment,” Harris said. “So throughout their dreadful experiences with Mr. Robinson, all four women remained silent.”

He said as low-wage earners, they also all feared “missing a payday, and not being able to afford rent or buy food for their families.”

All four women withheld their legal names citing privacy concerns and are identified as Jane Does in court documents. They appeared at the news conference with their attorneys, but did not speak, and covered their faces with masks.

The lawsuit also names Robinson's wife Frances Robinson as a defendant, alleging that she enabled his behavior despite knowing about past sexual misconduct. It also blames her for the hostile work environment, saying she berated them with language that included ethnic slurs.

One woman said she worked for the Robinsons from 2012 until 2024, and was assaulted at least 20 times in that span. Another said she worked for them from 2014 until 2020, and was assaulted at least 23 times. Another said she worked for them for a year before quitting in 2024 and was assaulted at least seven times. The fourth woman, who said she also acted as Frances Robinson's personal assistant, hairdresser and cook, worked for them for 18 years before resigning in 2024. She cited similar experiences to the other women, but did not say how often she was assaulted.

The women, some of whom worked for the Robinsons at the same time as each other, also kept stories of the assaults from one another, but are now bonding over their experience, the attorneys said. They declined to give details at the news conference about how they came forward and learned there were others.

The suit seeks damages based on sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and other allegations.

“Obviously, no amount of money can compensate these women for what Mr. Robinson put them through,” Harris said. But he said the $50 million was warranted “based on the gravity of Mr. Robinson's despicable and reprehensible misconduct.”

Plaintiffs' attorney Herbert Hayden said that while they felt the assaults are worthy of criminal investigation, the women have not filed police reports, based on the same fears that kept them from coming forward.

Robinson, a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, was among the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s — both with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs including “Tears of a Clown” and “The Tracks of My Tears.”

He was a central part of the Motown Records music machine in his hometown Detroit as an artist, producer and songwriter for other artists.

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Rihanna is expecting baby No. 3 with A$AP Rocky, the rapper confirms at the 2025 Met Gala

NEW YORK — At a historic edition of the Met Gala with tons of news-making moments, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky once again stole the show.

The power couple is expecting their third child, the rapper A$AP Rocky revealed.

“It feels amazing, you know,” gala co-chair A$AP Rocky told reporters who congratulated him Monday after outlets reported the couple was expecting their third child. “It’s time that we show the people what we was cooking up. And I’m glad everybody’s happy for us ’cause we definitely happy, you know.”

TMZ reported earlier Monday that Rihanna and the rapper were expecting their third child.

A representative for Rihanna didn’t immediately return The Associated Press’ request for comment.

Photos taken of the singer Monday walking in New York showed her with what appeared to be a baby bump.

Later in the night, Rihanna appeared on the Met Gala carpet in a pinstripe look and a huge hat, her newly announced baby bump on display.

“Honestly, it’s a blessing nonetheless,” Rocky told the AP. “Because you know how like some people in other situations at times can be envious of other people. But we’ve been seeing love for the most part. And we real receptive to that and appreciate that, you know what I mean? That’s love. Love is love.”

The couple announced their last pregnancy in a similarly starry way: At the 2023 Super Bowl, Rihanna emerged on stage for her halftime performance with baby bump on full display. Their son Riot Rose was born later that year.

The couple’s first child, RZA, was born in May 2022.

Rocky is one of the 2025 Met Gala co-chairs of the menswear-theme event tied to the museum's “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” But his attendance at this year’s Met Gala wasn’t always a sure bet. That announcement came a couple months before the opening of his trial on firearms charges in Los Angeles. Rocky was ultimately found not guilty in mid-February.

At his trial, he showed his eye for fashion. He sported tailored suits and luxury labels throughout the proceedings. Yves Saint Laurent even put out news releases directing attention to his high-fashion court attire. He was clad in a pinstripe Saint Laurent suit for the verdict.

He’s collaborated with several designers and brands on shoes, sunglasses and clothing collections. In December, he was honored with the Cultural Innovator Award at the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards.

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Man arrested after ramming car into front gate of Jennifer Aniston's Los Angeles home

LOS ANGELES — A man was arrested after crashing a car into the front gate at Jennifer Aniston's home in Los Angeles, authorities said Tuesday.

Police told KABC-TV that the “Friends” star was home at the time of the crash.

The incident occurred around 12:20 p.m. Monday on the 900 Block of Airole Way in the wealthy Bel Air neighborhood, according to Officer Jeff Lee of the LA Police Department.

Online property records show a home on that block owned by a trust run by Jennifer Aniston’s business manager.

Private security guards apprehended the driver and held him until police arrived. Lee described the suspect as a white middle-aged man. He has not been identified, and no charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning, Lee said.

“He used his vehicle to ram a gate to the residence,” Lee said.

Messages were left Tuesday with representatives and attorneys for Aniston.

Aniston, currently starring in Apple TV’s “Morning Show,” purchased the midcentury mansion on a 3.4-acre lot for about $21 million in 2012, according to reporting by Architectural Digest.

From combined wire services