R Kelly was arrested in fresh sex charges that include racketeering by federal authorities in Chicago on Friday night.
Stories of his illicit activities with underage girls have persisted for almost two decades. Prosecutors say Kelly began paying thousands of dollars in 2001 to buy back videotapes of himself having sex with underage girls.
Fresh indictments show a deep conspiracy of himself and his “crew” to cover up all illicit sexual activity. The 52-year-old artist maintains his innocence and his lawyers believe he will be able to survive this. However charges have been separately filed in Illinois and New York. A five-count charge that includes racketeering, four Mann Act count awaits him in Brooklyn.
In Chicago, for now, he faces five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, four counts of child pornography, one count of conspiracy to obtain child pornography and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
In 2002 when he was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography, prosecutors say he arranged for a girl and her parents to travel so they could not talk to the police.
The word is, Kelly runs an organized crime that has one purpose – boost his music and brand. His managers, bodyguards, drivers, runners, personal assistants had to be involved, prosecutors claim. The Brooklyn US Attorney’s Office additional submit that the crew manipulated teens by brainwashing and even engaged them in forced labor.
However, his lawyer on Friday reportedly commented that the charges were not surprising and his client has hired a team of exceptional federal litigators.
R Kelly faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of the charges.
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