Not long after allegations of sexual abuse and paedophilia recently saw R Kelly arraigned; jailed, and later released on bail, the American R&B singer has been arrested on sex trafficking charges.
R. Kelly has been in the eye of the storm after Lifetime aired the documentary series ‘Surviving R Kelly’ which was backed by accounts from victims.
According to TMZ, the 52-year-old was re-arrested on Thursday night by NYPD and Homeland security agents for multiple federal sex crimes in two different states.
Although he had previously pleaded not guilty to over 20 charges relating to sexual crimes, the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago said there are currently 13 charges against the singer.
According to Joseph Fitzpatrick, assistant US attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, the charges include child pornography and obstruction of justice charges.
However, it is yet to be disclosed if the new federal criminal charges that got the singer arrested are related to the previous 11 additional charges for which he had earlier been indicted.
R. Kelly had undergone trials for sexual assault and child pornography offences in 2008 but was later acquitted of charges.
In February 2019, he was arrested and arraigned on a 10-count charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four alleged female victims.
The singer denied any wrongdoing, alleging that his accusers are only trying to draw conclusions on his present situation from his past encounters.
“Forget how you feel about me. You could hate me or love me if you want to but just use your common sense and quit playing. How stupid will it be to chain up girls in my basement? I didn’t do this stuff,” he said during an during a CBS interview.
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