Rockwell, the singer known for the Michael Jackson-assisted 1984 hit “Somebody’s Watching Me,” was born Kennedy Gordy, son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. As Billboard reports, Gordy the elder is caught up in a legal battle between Rockwell and Anita Hawker Thompson, former CEO of his company Rockwell Entertainment Enterprises.

Last year the company sued Thompson, claiming that Rockwell suffers from “psychological impairments” and that Thompson abused her power over him to steal $1.7 million in royalty payments. Last week Thompson countersued, claiming that she underwent “physical, sexual, and psychological abuse” during a years-long romantic relationship with Rockwell. The suit named Gordy as a codefendant and accused him of attempting to cover up the abuse.

In a filing Monday, Gordy’s representatives wrote, “The response of Ms. Thompson [is] a craven, desperate, and disgusting attempt to further shake-down the Gordy family and to attempt to manufacture a fabricated claim to conveniently offset the claim for theft and conversion that she is facing — to which she has no legitimate legal or factual defense.” His filing asserted that the events described by Thompson were “fabricated,” that she has not produced specific dates related to her allegations, and that even if they happened, the statute of limitations has passed. Gordy’s lawyers described Thompson’s effort as “extortion” and demanded he be dismissed from the case.

In another recent lawsuit, Gordy was accused of covering up sexual abuse perpetrated by Jermaine Jackson.