“Shocking Verdict: R. Kelly And Universal Music Group Forced to Pay $500K to Abuse Victims – Full Details Inside!”
A judge in New York has directed Universal Music Group to take care of R. Kelly’s unpaid restitution amount.
Disgraced artist R. Kelly and Universal Music Group have been ordered by a New York judge to pay over $500,000 in music royalties to his victims of sexual abuse.
Judge Ann Donnelly from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a ruling on Wednesday, stipulating that the music corporation is required to transfer funds amounting to Kelly’s debt of $507,234.05.
As per the court order, Universal holds a sum of at least $567,444.19 derived from the singer’s music publishing royalties.
These funds will be directed to Brooklyn federal prosecutors to contribute towards restitution and criminal fines for his victims.
R. Kelly, whose actual name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence subsequent to his 2021 conviction by a New York jury for charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. In connection with his sentencing, both Universal and Sony Music Entertainment, in addition to Kelly himself, were mandated to pay his half-million dollar debut.
Nevertheless, prosecutors have now stated that Sony is relieved of this obligation due to the coverage offered by Kelly’s royalties under Universal.
“The unsettled amount has been fluctuating due to the accumulation of interest, and as of today, it reaches a total of $507,234.05.” Universal Music Group holds at least $567,444.19. Given that the funds retained by Universal are sufficient to settle the entire restitution debt, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will retract our Writ of Garnishment against Sony,” remarked the prosecutor’s office.
As of Friday, Universal Music Group has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Kelly, aged 56, was found guilty in September 2021 on nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering, marking a prominent case of sex trafficking. The artist behind “I Believe I Can Fly” had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Prosecutors contended that Kelly operated as a habitual sexual predator, victimizing young women and even underage boys and girls over a span of more than two decades.
Moreover, they argued that he, along with his associates, operated a criminal enterprise responsible for luring and manipulating victims for sexual exploitation, often arranging their travel to various events across the United States.
Kelly’s criminal actions were extensively portrayed in the documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly,” broadcast on Lifetime. In addition to his New York sentence, he was also handed a 20-year prison term for a separate set of sex-related crimes, including the solicitation of a minor, in Chicago. A judge ruled that 19 of those years would run concurrently with his New York sentence, while the remaining year would follow subsequently.
Further legal charges were brought against Kelly in Minnesota, accusing him of inviting a 17-year-old girl to his hotel room in 2021 and compensating her for performing a nude dance. However, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office dismissed the case, acknowledging the credibility of the victim but deeming a conviction unlikely to result in additional prison time for Kelly.
