R. Kelly has been ordered to pay large sum in restitution to the victims of his sex trafficking, and he also owes money in fines and assessments.
The news was broken by Courthouse News Service reporter Nina Pullano who discovered Kelly will have to fork up at least $309,068.18 to two of his victim. He also has to pay $140,000 in other fines.
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According to Pullano’s report, $300,668.18 of that money will go to one of the survivors, identified as Jane, and the other $8,400 will go to a woman named Stephanie. Reuters put out another report that stated the money would go toward costs for therapy and herpes treatment for the victims. The number he already has to pay could go up as prosecutors figure out the cost of Stephanie’s medication.
This isn’t the only money that R. Kelly had to pay back. A New York judge recently demanded that $28,000 Kellz had collected in inmate commissary be seized from his account and used to cover a portion of his $140,000 court fines and as part of the paid restitution for his victims. He now reportedly has $500 to his name.
NEW: R. Kelly to pay at least $309K in restitution to victims. The jury’s guilty verdict in his Brooklyn sex trafficking came in one year ago yesterday @CourthouseNews
— nina pullano (@NinaPullano) September 28, 2022
The news comes days after R. Kelly was found guilty of child pornography and obstruction charges in an Illinois federal court. He is still awaiting sentencing and also faces more state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
R. Kelly was reportedly injured in prison and allegedly tried to use that to get out of traveling to New York for the restitution hearing involving his victims. Kelly’s legal team asked a judge on September 15 if the controversial R&B singer could appear virtually at the forthcoming hearing, which took place today.
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According to documents obtained by AllHipHop, Kelly injured his leg, making it difficult for him to move around.
“Undersigned counsel writes to respectfully request that Defendant Kelly be permitted to appear via zoom for the September 28th, 2022, restitution hearing,” attorney Ashley Cohen wrote. “Mr. Kelly is currently housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Kelly has sustained an injury to his leg that makes traveling challenging and uncomfortable.”
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Cohen added: “Furthermore, a significant amount of resources would have to be utilized to have Mr. Kelly flown in from Chicago to the Eastern District of New York for this hearing. For the foregoing reasons, Defendant respectfully requests that he be permitted to appear via zoom for the hearing. The government has no objection to this request.”
