R. Kelly has found himself in even more trouble this week as Cook County prosecutors filed a new series of sexual assault charges against the singer. He now faces 11 new sex abuse charges, with some that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the new alleged offense took place in January 2010. While the charging document does not contain many details, the case may not involve a new victim, since the initials in the most recent case match intials from a previous case. These charges include four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim between the ages of 13 and 16.
This is the most serious sentence he has faced so far in his legal battles. Earlier this year, he was charged with 10 counts of sexual assault following the release of the Lifetime docu-series Surviving R. Kelly. He is currently free on $1 million bond following his indictment in February, however, he will have to appear in court for the new case on June 6.
Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, told the Sun-Times that he did not see any filings in the case yet but said the allegations are from “years ago.” Greenberg has vehemently denied all of Kelly’s accusations over the past few months and has repeatedly claimed that all the women who have come forward are lying.
Over the past 20 years, Kelly has been accused of sexual assault multiple times, and he was never exonerated for these alleged crimes. However, these all came to light in Surviving R. Kelly as a dozen women spoke on-camera about their experiences with the singer. He has been accused of raping, sexually assaulting, and harassing girls, as well as running a “sex cult” in his Atlanta home. Since the docu-series aired, Kelly has faced harsh criticism. He was dropped from his label, his music was pulled from streaming services, and many artists began to speak out against him.
Additionally, he became wrapped-up in a legal mess with hiz ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, for failing to pay child support. In an effort to pay back the money he owed, Kelly tried to book several concerts in the U.S. and overseas, but almost all of them were cancelled either by the venue or with the help of the #MuteRKelly movement. His finances began to fall apart, with court documents revealing that he hit negatives in one bank account and has less than $700 in another.
His latest case, which was brought on by a woman who claimed Kelly abused her in the ’90s when she was underage, is still ongoing. The woman is seeking $500,000, and when Kelly did not show up to his court appearance, the judge sided with the victim. However, Kelly’s lawyers claimed that the signed court papers should be ruled out because Kelly was unable to read.
