R. Kelly Trial: Prosecutors Ask to Include New Allegations

Federal prosecutors have brought new charges against R kelly in his sex trafficking case, and is asking for the ability to present the information to jurors at his upcoming trial in New York.

In a court application on Friday, obtained by Related press, prosecutors filed several new allegations of bribery and sexual abuse, including the allegation that Kelly had sex with an underage boy. Throughout the case, Kelly denied the abuse allegations. The legal representative for Kelly did not immediately respond Diversityasked for comment on the new allegations.

As reported by the Associated Press, records say Kelly met the 17-year-old in 2006 at a McDonald’s and invited him to a party at her home. The boy attended with his mother and stepfather, and Kelly later invited the boy to her studio after learning of his musical aspirations. Prosecutors later alleged that Kelly asked the boy “what you’re willing to do to succeed in the music business” and had sex with him.

Among other complaints, the filing also alleges that following the release of the “Surviving R. Kelly” document in February 2019, a “crisis manager” for Kelly bribed a Cook County clerk $2,500 to get information about Kelly’s legal troubles. The filing alleges that Kelly was aware of the bribe, according to an audio recording of a conversation between the two that was recovered during a search of Kelly’s phone.

Although the new charges do not translate into new charges against Kelly, the prosecution hopes they can be admitted as usable evidence in the trial. According to the AP news agency, Kelly is accused of leading a “criminal enterprise” that helped him recruit women and girls for sex and pornography. The current charges against Kelly involve six unnamed women and girls.