Singer Smokey Robinson's lawyer decries sexual assault claims as 'vile' and 'false'

A lawyer for Smokey Robinson said last week that the sexual assault allegations against the Motown singer were "vile" and "false" and that a lawsuit filed by the four women making the accusations was an attempt to extract millions of dollars from him.

- MATT STEVENS

The women worked as Robinson's housekeepers, and their lawsuit accuses him of abusing them dozens of times. The suit, which identifies the women only as Jane Does 1 to 4, says Robinson raped them repeatedly while his wife, Frances, who is a co-defendant, turned a blind eye.

In a statement provided to The New York Times, Robinson's lawyer, Christopher Frost, called the suit "an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon".

"We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgement as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold," Frost said.

Lawyers for the women who filed the suit said in a statement on Thursday: "We stand behind our four clients' truthful claims, which are neither false nor vile, but clearly describe Mr Robinson's despicable criminal acts."