R. Kelly has been hit by another underage sex allegation, with Jerhonda Pace accusing the singer of mentally and physically abusing her.
R. Kelly has been in the headlines in recent months following a BuzzFeed News report in July (17) which quoted two sets of parents and three former members of his inner circle accusing Kelly, 50, of manipulating six women living in properties he rents in Atlanta, Georgia and Chicago, Illinois, and forcing them into an alleged sex “cult”. Kelly has strenuously denied the claims.
However, on Monday BuzzFeed published another report in which 24-year-old Pace claims she began a sexual relationship with the singer when she was just 16 years old – under the age of consent of 17 in the state of Illinois.
According to Pace, she first met Kelly in 2008, when she was 15, as she attended his child pornography trial. She claims she told Kelly in July 2009 that she was 16, after they’d already embarked on an intimate relationship, and he allegedly told her to lie about her age and tell people she was 19.
They dated for eight months, during which time Pace claims she was told she must follow a set of “rules” while spending time at Kelly’s Olympia Fields, Illinois, home, including asking permission to use the bathroom, shower or eat.
Pace alleges that Kelly became violent in January 2010, when he witnessed her texting one of her friends.
“I was slapped and I was choked and I was spit on,” she told Buzzfeed, adding that that was the moment she decided to end things with the singer.
Despite the fact that Pace reached out to Chicago attorney Susan E. Loggans, who is said to have reached a settlement with Kelly on behalf of her client within weeks, Pace claims she’s concerned about the wellbeing of a friend she introduced to Kelly’s group.
Adding that she’s broken a non-disclosure agreement by coming forward with her tale, Pace explained that she wants to try and help the other women currently living with Kelly.
“If I can speak out and I can help them get out of that situation, that’s what I will do,” she said. “He’s brainwashed them really bad, and it kind of reminds me of Charles Manson. I just really hope I can help these women out… Kelly needs to be stopped.”
Kelly’s representatives have also released a statement.
“The allegations against Mr. Kelly are false, and are being made by individuals known to be dishonest,” the statement reads. “It is clear these continuing stories are the result of the effort of those with personal agendas who are working in concert to interfere with and damage his career. Mr. Kelly again denies any and all wrong doing and is taking appropriate legal action to protect himself from ongoing defamation.”
