R. Kelly Sex Abuse Case: Bail Set At $1 Million

CHICAGO — A judge on Saturday set R. Kelly’s bail at $1 million Saturday, a day after the singer was charged Friday with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse in Cook County. The music star, whose real name is Robert Kelly, is accused of sexually abusing four victims, three of whom were underage, over a span of nearly a dozen years. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx held a news conference Friday to announce the indictments.

A warrant for Kelly’s arrest was issued Friday morning, court records show.

Kelly, 52, turned himself in to Chicago police Friday night, according to WGN. Hemust post $100,000, or 10 percent of his bail, to be released.

According to multiple reports, attorney Michael Avenatti said he has evidence that Kelly paid witnesses and others to rig his 2008 trial for child pornography charges, which led to his acquittal.

At a press conference in January, Foxx called for any Kelly accusers to come forward. The Cook County state’s attorney said she watched Lifetime’s release of the damning documentary about the singer, “Surviving R. Kelly.”

“I was sickened as a survivor, I was sickened as a mother, I was sickened as a prosecutor,” Foxx said.

On Friday, Foxx said the 10-count indictment involved four victims and incidents that took place between 1998 and 2010. Each count carries a possible sentence of three to seven years in prison if he’s convicted.

Four counts relate to the first victim, who was involved in incidents with Kelly between May 26, 1998 and May 25, 1999 when she was under the age of 17, Foxx said.

A grand jury returned an indictment of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving the second victim, who was involved in an incident that occurred between Sept. 26, 1998 and Sept. 25, 2001, according to Foxx.

A third victim was involved in a Feb. 18, 2003 incident where Kelly has been indicted on a charge of transmitting a sexual fluid onto the victim during an attempted criminal sexual assault, Foxx said.

The fourth victim was involved in incidents between May 1, 2009 and Jan. 31, 2010, according to Foxx. A grand jury returned a three-count aggravated criminal sexual abuse indictment due to the victim being under the age of 17 at the time.

Earlier this month, Avenatti said he handed over a VHS tape to Foxx of Kelly engaged in multiple sex acts with an underage girl.

Avenatti said he’s been working pro bono with multiple clients who have accused Kelly of sexual assault.

Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg continues to maintain that his client is innocent.

“I think all the women are lying,” Greenberg told WGN Friday. “This has become … ‘Hey, I can say R. Kelly did something. Boom.'””

Multiple women in the six-part docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” said they’ve been victims of a sex cult led by Kelly. Many came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse and pedophilia.

Kelly and his attorney have spent years denying the allegations. In 2008, the singer was acquitted of child pornography charges.