Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly was ordered by a federal judge to pay more than $300,000 to one of his victims in a long-running scheme to take advantage of his fame to sexually abuse young fans.
U.S. District Judge Ann Connelly’s restitution decision, which was still being completed, is intended to pay for the expense of herpes treatment and counseling. The victim, who only goes by the nickname Jane, has claimed that Kelly, who is currently in jail, gave her the STD during one of their encounters.
Once the total is determined, Kelly, whose attorney asserts that he only has $28,000 in his account, may also be required to pay tens of thousands of dollars extra for counseling and herpes treatment for a second victim.
The Grammy-winning, multi-platinum-selling songwriter attended the hearing in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, September 28, via video from a prison in Chicago. He didn’t say much other than to greet the judge and decline an invitation to say more. The victims weren’t present at the event.
After a jury found Kelly guilty of racketeering and other offenses, Donnelly sentenced Kelly to 30 years in prison in June.
According to the prosecution, the 55-year-old Kelly used his fame and fortune over the course of more than two decades to entice women and minor girls into his orbit for sex. In Chicago, Kelly was also found guilty last month on separate counts of child pornography and seducing minors.
In that instance, he is awaiting sentencing and also various state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
On Wednesday, after ordering Kelly to pay $300,000, Judge Donnelly denied prosecutors’ requests to compensate Jane for lost income, and provide any compensation to a third victim known as Sonja.
