The bribery charge was added because authorities found that Kelly obtained false identification documents for a woman back in August 30, 1994.
What We Know:
- According to the New York Times, the unidentified underage woman was determined to be singer Aaliyah, who R. Kelly reportedly married when she was only 15-years-old.
- The Times also said that Kelly had bribed an Illinois government official to get a fake ID for Aaliyah so that he could marry her. The fake marriage license listed her as 18-years-old. The marriage was annulled in 1995 after Aaliyah’s family became aware of the situation.
- Kelly and his attorney Steve Greenberg arrived in a Chicago courtroom and told the judge that he understood the charges against him.
- In the New York indictment, it alleges that Kelly bribed and transported women and girls across state lines to participate in illegal sexual activity. In August, Kelly pleaded not guilty to racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and sexual exploitation of a child charge in Brooklyn.
- After the court proceedings, one of Kelly’s attorneys, Douglas Anton said the singer is keeping his spirits up by listening to uplifting songs behind bars. Kelly faces federal and state child sexual abuse charges.
Next month, Lifetime will air the sequel to the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries. Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning will include interviews from psychologists, lawyers, other experts as well as additional survivors.
