American R&B artiste, Robert Sylvester Kelly known as R. Kelly has been hit with fresh federal charges in Chicago alleging he sexually abused another minor victim over a four-year period starting in 1997.
The new indictment against the “I Believe I Can Fly” crooner, filed on Friday, February 14 in Chicago federal court, involves an alleged victim who says she was 14 or 15 years old when Kelly abused her.
The filing also includes new details involving allegations that Kelly, and co-defendants Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown arranged for six-figure payments to individuals for retrieving videotapes of Kelly sexually abusing minors.
Kelly has been scheduled to go to trial in April for Windy City case. He is charged there with producing and receiving child pornography and enticing minors to have sex with him.
But the new indictment could push that date further into the future, the Sun-Times reported.
R. Kelly’s lawyer, Steve Greenberg, , tweeted on February 14 that;
We are aware of the superseding indictment. We continue to fight for him and look forward to the day he is free #notguilty #rkelly.
Kelly also faces racketeering, sex-trafficking and bribery charges in Brooklyn federal court and other criminal charges in state courts in Chicago and Minneapolis.
On 3 January 2019, the first episode of “Surviving R. Kelly” docu-series was released.
“Surviving R. Kelly” is a documentary series that reveals young women emerging from the shadows and uniting their voices against singer R. Kelly who sexually abused these women when they were minors.
Celebrated as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, R. Kelly’s career has been plagued with rumours of abuse, paedophilia, and predatory behaviour toward women.
In the documentary, survivors stepped forward to detail new allegations about his physical, mental, and sexual abuse. More than 50 interviews with those who include civil rights activist Tarana Burke, musicians John Legend and Sparkle, talk show host Wendy Williams, and R. Kelly’s family members shed light on the singer’s controversial past.
