After being found GUILTY of all nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering, R Kelly, 54, faces a sentence of 100 years in prison. Over three decades, the R&B singer recruited and sexually abused women, girls, and boys.
After nine hours of deliberation and a six-week trial, including gruesome testimony, a jury of seven men and five women reached the verdict.
He could face a sentence of up to 100 years in prison, with 20 years for racketeering and 10 years for each sex trafficking conviction. On May 4, 2022, the defendant will be sentenced. Kelly had remained in detention since October 2019, when he was denied bail in his New York City case.
After prosecutors and defense attorneys ended their closing statements on Friday in Brooklyn, the jury began weighing federal racketeering and sex trafficking accusations against the superstar.
Prosecutors claim that Robert Sylvester Kelly, 54, led a Chicago-based criminal business for nearly three decades, ‘targeting, grooming, and exploiting kids, boys, and women for forced sex and mental agony.’
Kelly, according to the witnesses, subjected them to strange and sadistic whims when they were minors. He has categorically denied any misconduct.
Bribery, kidnapping, forced labor rape, druggings, imprisonment, and child pornography were among the crimes detailed in the distressing testimony. The following are some of the significant allegations from the trial:
Assaulting minors and purposefully infecting them with herpes
After impregnating victims, forcing them to get abortions
He slaps, chokes, spits on, and urinates on his victims.
Creating child pornography by recording sexual interactions with his underage accusers.
When his victims broke his orders, he subjected them to brutal punishments such as beatings or incarceration in chambers without access to food, water, or a restroom.
Forcing his victims to sign letters denying that he had abused them.
If his accusers or their families tried to leave him or press charges, he threatened them and their families.
His illegitimate marriage to singer Aaliyah necessitated getting a fake ID for the then-15-year-old for the wedding to occur.
After being found GUILTY of all nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering, R Kelly, 54, faces a sentence of 100 years in prison. Over three decades, the R&B singer recruited and sexually abused women, girls, and boys.