Singer R. Kelly’s 30-year prison term has been upheld by a federal appeal court in Manhattan.
His convictions for sex trafficking and racketeering were also upheld by the court.
R. Kelly was convicted for racketeering and sex trafficking in 2021.
The artist received a further 20-year prison sentence in 2022 for child sex offenses, which included creating pictures of child sexual assault in Chicago.
On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the Appeal Court came to the conclusion that the 58-year-old artist had sexually abused and exploited girls and young women by using his popularity.
Also, the three-judge panel rejected his claim that prosecutors didn’t prove he established a racketeering scheme to recruit women and underage girls for sex.
For more than 25 years, Kelly used his celebrity to entice ladies and young women into his clutches, with the help of a network of managers, assistants, and other employees, the court ruled.
“The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that he would control every element of his victims’ lives, separate them from friends and family, and verbally, physically, and sexually abuse them.”
In a statement following the Appeal Court’s ruling, Jennifer Bonjean, Kelly’s attorney, stated that she will file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
