A federal appeals court has upheld R. Kelly’s racketeering and sex trafficking convictions, along with his 30-year prison sentence, ruling that the singer exploited his fame for over 25 years to abuse underage girls and young women.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan delivered the decision on Wednesday, rejecting Kelly’s appeal arguments, which included claims of biased jurors, improper rulings by the trial judge, and an unfair application of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is typically used in organized crime cases.
The Grammy-winning R&B singer, known for hits like I Believe I Can Fly, was convicted in Brooklyn federal court in 2021 on multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking. A separate 20-year sentence for child sex charges was handed down in Chicago in 2022.
The court ruled that evidence showed Kelly, with the help of his entourage, isolated victims from their families, controlled their lives, and abused them physically, verbally, and sexually. His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said she plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, calling the ruling “unprecedented” and arguing that the government misused the racketeering law.
The decision also upheld the trial court’s ruling allowing jurors to see graphic videos and hear testimony from multiple accusers. The court found that Kelly’s deliberate transmission of herpes to victims was relevant to the case.
The #MeToo movement and the documentary Surviving R. Kelly played a significant role in bringing renewed public attention to the accusations, ultimately leading to his conviction after decades of allegations.
