A federal appeal court in Manhattan has firmly upheld R. Kelly’s convictions on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, along with his 30-year prison sentence, in a legal decision that reaffirms the singer’s role in the abuse and exploitation of young women and minors.
In 2022, the disgraced R&B artist was sentenced to over three decades behind bars after being convicted for his involvement in a decades-long pattern of abusing fans, including children, and engaging in trafficking and racketeering activities. On Wednesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, following arguments heard last March, ruled that the 58-year-old singer had systematically used his fame to exploit vulnerable girls and women.
The court’s three-judge panel rejected Kelly’s defense, which claimed prosecutors failed to prove that he had orchestrated a racketeering scheme to recruit women and underage girls for illegal activities. The judges emphasized the singer’s manipulation of his fame and influence to ensnare victims, noting that Kelly exploited his power with the help of a network of managers, assistants, and other personnel over a span of 25 years.
In their ruling, the court stated, “Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually.”
The ruling serves as a harsh reminder of the depths of Kelly’s criminal conduct, despite his earlier attempts to downplay the severity of his actions.
Kelly’s legal representative, Jennifer Bonjean, expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, asserting that she believes the U.S. Supreme Court will agree to hear an appeal. In her statement, Bonjean also criticized the ruling as “unprecedented,” referring to a partial dissent by Judge Richard J. Sullivan. She argued that the government’s actions were aimed at unfairly enriching government witnesses in exchange for their testimony, describing it as an effort at “restitution” rather than justice.
In another blow to Kelly, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal regarding a separate 20-year sentence handed to him in 2024 for charges related to the production of child abuse imagery in Chicago.
