Content Warning: This article discusses sexual abuse. It’s been a year since R Kelly was charged with multiple sex crimes, but the nightmare is far from over. According to multiple reports, three men were charged this week for allegedly threatening and intimidating women who have accused the singer of abuse.
The Guardian reports that a “longtime friend” of R Kelly offered to pay a victim $500,000 to stop her from cooperating in the singer’s prosecution. Another manager and adviser of Kelly reportedly threatened to release sexually explicit photos of a woman who sued him.
A third man – prosecutors have named as Michael Williams – is related to a former publicist of Kelly’s and allegedly set fire to an SUV parked outside a home where one of the singer’s victims was staying.
Williams had also Googled “the detonation properties of fertiliser and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering and countries that do not have extradition with the United States,” according to prosecutors via The Guardian.
Last year, the Lifetime series Surviving R Kelly, documented the stories of Kelly’s victims and detailed the sexual abuse they allegedly suffered at his hands. The documentary helped to reignite the #MuteRKelly hashtag on social media and saw the likes Lady Gaga and Ciara condemn the singer and remove their collaborations with him from streaming services.
Shortly after Surviving R Kelly aired, the singer was formally charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse but clearly, this hasn’t provided closure for his victims.
In fact, allegations of sexual abuse against R Kelly span all the way back to the late ‘90s when the singer paid off a victim who alleged he had group sex with her when she was just 15 years old.
Since then, Kelly has been indicted on child pornography charges, accused of holding young women in an “abusive” sex cult, and sexually abusing minors from 1998 to 2010.
Speaking of victims speaking out against sexual abuse, hear about #MeToo and Harvey Weinstein below:
The allegations against R Kelly have also highlighted complicity within the music industry and exposed executives who were aware of the singer’s abusive behaviour, but did nothing to stop it.
Sadly, it sounds like there’s not only complicity in R Kelly’s relationships, but people who are actively ‘working’ to help the singer silence victims.
R Kelly is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago. According to the Chicago Tribune, if he is found guilty in all three cases that are currently pending trial, he could face life in prison. We can only hope his victims finally receive the justice they deserve.
If you, or anyone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT for support.
Always be in the loop with our snackable podcast breaking the biggest story of the day. Subscribe to It’s Been A Big Day For… on your favourite podcast app.