This archive report was first published on 2 August 2019.
On August 2, 2019, R. Kelly, a 52-year-old R&B singer, appeared in a New York court to face federal charges of sex trafficking.
According to the indictment, Kelly would issue wristbands to girls through his associates, granting them backstage access and face time with him.
He would then instruct his entourage to obtain the girls' contact information, some of whom were invited to later concerts and provided with lodging.
The indictment alleges that Kelly coerced the girls into staying in their rooms without permission, even to eat or use the restroom.
The New York case involves five unidentified women, three of whom were minors at the time of the alleged crimes.
Kelly is also accused of kidnapping one of the victims and exposing another to a venereal disease without her knowledge.
He faces charges of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for purposes of prostitution.
