Singer R. Kelly was taken into custody on Thursday by federal authorities, arrested in Chicago on thirteen counts including federal sex trafficking charges, obstruction of justice, producing child pornography, and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Kelly’s arrest was due to several of his ex-staff members turning over 20 sex tapes allegedly showing Kelly engaging in sexual activity with minors, according to a report from TMZ.
The report states Gerald Griggs, the representative for one of Kelly’s victims, revealed the Northern District of Illinois conducted the investigation which lead to the uncovering of more than 20 tapes. The tapes allegedly show multiple victims, which prosecutors and witnesses have identified as underage. The tapes were given to investigators by Kelly’s “enablers,” those who worked closely with the singer. The tapes turned over by close friends and ex-staff members were what lead to Kelly’s arrest.
An ex-staff member has previously admitted to recording several of these encounters. They believe the feds got their hands on some of this footage.
The singer will remain in federal custody until his court hearing in front of a Brooklyn federal grand jury on Tuesday. Prosecutors are moving to not grant Kelly bail. Another indictment was filed against Kelly by the Eastern District of New York, which pins the singer with charges of racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and the sexual exploitation of a child. The indictments date back to 1999 and chronicle over two decades of criminal activity. In 2017, Illinois lifted the statute of limitations on all felony criminal sexual assault and sexual abuse crimes against children.
