Smokey Robinson Loses Key Defamation Claims in $500M Countersuit
Key Points
- Judge dismissed several defamation claims, finding the accusers’ widely broadcast statements addressed public interest.
- Court allowed theft and alleged phone data-deletion claims against the Robinsons to proceed.
- Attorneys clash: accusers’ lawyer calls victory decisive; Robinson’s lawyer insists evidence shows actual malice.
SMOKEY Robinson has suffered a partial setback in his massive $500 million countersuit against his accusers in a high-profile sexual assault case.
A Los Angeles judge dismissed several of Robinson and his wife Frances’s claims, including major defamation allegations, ruling the women’s public accusations were protected as matters of public interest, TMZ reports.
The judge noted the accusers’ press conference was widely broadcast and covered by global media, and found Robinson failed to prove the women acted with “actual malice”.
Despite this, the court allowed parts of Robinson’s countersuit to proceed, particularly claims related to alleged theft of personal property and deletion of information from the Robinsons’ phones.
John Harris, attorney for the accusers, hailed the ruling as a “powerful and unequivocal victory” that clears the way for their case to advance on its merits.
Robinson’s lawyer Christopher Frost strongly disagreed with the dismissal of key claims, insisting there is “plenty of evidence of actual malice” and accusing the accusers of inconsistencies.
Frost confirmed the team remains focused on proving the allegations are “untrue and fabricated,” signalling the legal fight is far from over.
The case began in May 2025 when four former housekeepers accused the Motown legend of sexual battery and misconduct while working in his home.
With some claims dismissed but others surviving, the courtroom drama around Smokey Robinson’s legal battle continues to unfold.
