R. Kelly has been accused of hiding large amounts of cash in a childhood friend’s bank account. According to The Blast, prosecutors believe Kelly isn’t being honest when he claims that he is broke. Thanks to findings from their investigation, prosecutors were able to reveal in court documents that Kelly has been diverting his music royalties to a third party. They said that Kelly’s “contention that he has ‘almost no financial resources’ is also misleading.”
Prosecutors continue, “In fact, the defendant continues to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in connection with royalties he is owed for his music. The government’s investigation has revealed that earlier this year, the defendant re-directed those royalties to the bank account of a childhood friend. Regardless of where those funds are being held, however, they belong to the defendant and, at any time, the defendant can redirect those funds – and future royalty proceeds earned – to an account in his name.”
In other R. Kelly-related news, the singer is also reportedly facing health issues while behind bars. According to TMZ, Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, claims that he is not receiving proper medical treatment. Greenberg has cited this to support his claims that his client should be released on bond. The attorney has also argued that Kelly is not a flight risk.
Additionally, Greenberg claims that Kelly isn’t being treated fairly. As previously reported, Kelly had two girlfriends, Azriel Clary and Jocelyn Savage. Only one of the girlfriends are allowed to visit the singer every 90 days. “Although he lives and has lived with two lady friends, only one of them is allowed to be on his visiting list, and after 90 days he’s required to switch,” Greenberg said.
On another note, Kelly was denied bail by a Brooklyn judge on Wednesday (Oct. 2). According to Page Six, Kelly asked to be freed while he awaits his NYC trial. The judge noted during the hearing that Kelly is accused of committing crimes that involve young girls, his finances are “murky, to say the least,” and the suggested home detention “certainly would do nothing to deter him” from trying to intimate his witnesses. Kelly’s trial has been set for May 18, 2020, and the proceedings are expected to last about three weeks.