R. Kelly has accused his alleged victims of “collusion” after surrendering to police to face sex crimes charges.
Kelly, full name Robert Sylvester Kelly, turned himself in to police in Chicago, Illinois on Friday after he was indicted on 10 charges of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women, three of whom were minors, dating back as long ago as 1998. His bail bond has been set at $1 million (£766,000) and he will languish in jail until he can raise an initial $100,000 (£76,600) payment.
The R&B superstar’s lawyer Brian Nix has now told Rolling Stone his client is “disappointed” by “unsubstantiated allegations” he believes are motivated by money and blamed the claims on the recent Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly.
“Rob is disappointed by the unsubstantiated allegations of behavior that portrays him as a monster by people with a pecuniary motive,” Brian Nix tells Rolling Stone. “He believes that the scripted documentary by Lifetime has created collusion between and amongst female friends who have been converted to victims.”
Kelly’s adviser Don Russell also called the charges a “conspiracy”, saying that his client was “hypersexual” due to being abused as a child himself – but denied the claims stating the singer is “biggest survivor out of all of this.”
The 52-year-old’s team are reportedly trying to obtain the $100,000 that would secure his release on the condition he surrenders his passport and avoid contact with women under the age of 18. Russell told the U.S. music publication that Kelly’s finances have taken a major hit as his record label has dropped him and concert promoters have cancelled bookings.
“This man has lost a lot of income,” he said. “Based on him being dropped from the label, the concerts being cancelled – now they’ve taken his passport so he can’t go abroad and generate revenue – he has no income.”
According to TMZ.com, celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti has also obtained two videos of Kelly allegedly having sex with the same underage girl, and plans to turn them over to authorities. The second tape reportedly shows him “coaching” the girl in sexual techniques, choking her and having anal intercourse. Editors at the gossip website claim he is also in the process of obtaining a third tape featuring a different girl.
Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges back in 2008, is due back in court on Monday.
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