The American singer R & B R. Kelly, already accused of multiple sexual assault, was arrested Thursday in connection with underage girls he threatened, sequestered and filmed without their knowledge during sex. In a tweet, the artist's lawyer, Steve Greenberg, confirmed Friday the arrest in Chicago, indicating that "the alleged facts (appeared) to be of the same nature" as those already mentioned when he was charged by the prosecutor's office. the state of Illinois.
Illinois has already charged the successful author and producer twice with more than 20 counts in total. This time it is a federal indictment that relates to events in Illinois, but also Connecticut, California and New York, according to the document released Friday and dated Wednesday, which also refers to acts committed outside US territory, without further details.
Abduction, sequestrations, threats ...
Robert Kelly, his real name, is accused of having sex with minors while he himself was a major, a federal crime under certain conditions, to have kidnapped, sequestered, threatened and filmed, to without their knowledge, several young girls. In total, the indictment includes 15 charges. If some facts date back to 1999, others, allegedly committed in California and New York, are dated 2018. None of the five alleged victims mentioned in the indictment appear under his true identity.
"Kelly was aware of these investigations and this charge is not a surprise," responded lawyer Steve Greenberg on Twitter. R. Kelly "looks forward to his trial, that the truth breaks out and that he is innocent after these unprecedented attacks by people acting out of self-interest". The 52-year-old singer has been repeatedly charged with sexual assault and embezzlement of minors for more than two decades, but has so far been convicted.
"I did not do that kind of thing, it's not me."
He had been acquitted in 2008 following a video record of sexual acts made between him and a 14-year-old girl. In an interview in March, Kelly vehemently denied the accusations, stating that he was "fighting" for his life. "I did not do that kind of thing, it's not me," Kelly told CBS News.
In a post #MeToo context, the author and interpreter of the I Believe I Can Fly tube came back in turmoil with the broadcast at the beginning of the year of a documentary in several parts implicating him for multiple sexual assaults, in particular girls under 16 years old. Several investigations were then opened and the record company Sony Music ended the contract which bound its RCA subsidiary to the crooner. Despite the controversy, he has maintained, over the years, a solid fan base and continued to perform in concert.