R. Kelly loses appeal as court upholds sex trafficking conviction
R. Kelly's legal troubles deepened as a federal appeals court in Manhattan upheld his sex trafficking and racketeering conviction, rejecting his attempt to overturn the 30-year prison sentence.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday (February 12, 2025) that overwhelming evidence supported the conviction, reaffirming that Kelly used his celebrity status to manipulate and exploit young women and underage girls over two decades.
Judge Denny Chin, speaking for the three-judge panel, stated that prosecutors presented extensive proof of how Kelly controlled his victims through verbal and physical abuse, blackmail, and humiliation.
Kelly's defense, led by attorney Jennifer Bonjean, argued that the government misused the RICO statute, a law originally designed to combat organized crime syndicates, not individual misconduct. Bonjean claimed the ruling gave prosecutors 'limitless discretion' to apply the law in ways far removed from its original intent.
Despite this legal defeat, Kelly's defense team has indicated plans to take the case to a higher court, continuing their fight to challenge the conviction.
Once a dominant figure in R&B music, Kelly's fall from grace accelerated after the release of the 2019 docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly," which brought renewed attention to long-standing allegations.
With his appeal denied, Kelly remains incarcerated, facing a sentence that could keep him behind bars for life.
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