R. Kelly faces new charges, including sex-trafficking, from two new alleged survivors

Robert Kelly, aka R. Kelly, already faces a lengthy list of charges in multiple states, but now, even more have been added. As reported by CNN, there are new federal charges against R. Kelly in his New York case.

The new charges stem from allegations brought forth by two new alleged survivors, Jane Doe #5 and Jane Doe #6, according to Rolling Stone. The charges, which were added in a superseding indictment on Friday, March 13th, include five counts of racketeering and four counts of violating the Mann Act. The Mann Act “prohibits sexual trafficking across state lines,” according to NPR.

The other charges Kelly faces in New York include kidnapping, sexual exploitation, and forced labor.

With these new charges, Kelly’s New York case is made up of accusations from six alleged survivors of his abuse, three of whom are minors.

Less than two weeks ago, on March 6th, federal agents uncovered more than 100 of Kelly’s electronic devices, including hard drives, cell phones, and iPads. Federal agents have been sweeping them for evidence, and it’s believed that the disgraced singer could face even more charges related to material found.

Despite now having charges across the country, spanning decades, and from several different survivors, Kelly has denied all the allegations brought against him in all of cases in which he is charged, as reported by CNN. In reference to the new charges, one of Kelly’s lawyers, Steve Greenberg, tweeted, “Having now had the opportunity to review the latest superseding indictment against @rkelly, we do not believe it fundamentally changes anything.”

Kelly’s New York trial is currently set to begin July 7th, as reported by Reuters. The singer will also go to trial on federal charges in Chicago on October 13th. He additionally faces a solicitation charge in Minnesota. Kelly is currently in jail without bond in Chicago.

Lia Beck
Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more. Read more
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