Feds Say R. Kelly Made Over $200K In Royalties In 2020 (Exclusive)

Source: Cook County Department of Corrections / Cook County Department of Corrections

Federal prosecutors said R. Kelly has the financial means to skip town if he’s let out on bail – and pulled in more than $200,000 so far this year just in royalties.

The feds responded April 17 to Kelly’s second emergency motion for bail, saying that despite the disgraced singer’s protestations that he has “no means to go anywhere,” he has piles of cash to flee or try to compromise witnesses in the case if he’s let out of jail.

Prosecutors said Kelly has a network of people to assist him as he fights federal charges including racketeering, kidnapping and STD transmission. They said Kelly’s entourage was still currently posting positive social media messages on his behalf and trying to intimidate witnesses, according to court papers obtained by BOSSIP.

On April 16, Kelly, 53, asked for the judge to reconsider his motion for bail, arguing that inmates and staff at MCC Chicago had now contracted COVID-19 and he and other inmates were “experiencing tremendous stress and anxiety in light of” the pandemic inside the jail, court papers state.

Source: Glenn Parson / Glenn Parson

But the feds said Kelly doesn’t have preexisting conditions, nor is he elderly – all criteria that would make him a high-risk detainee. Further, they said his jail has rolled out beefed-up policies to limit the spread, and Kelly and other inmates are now confined to their cells.

Simply put, Kelly’s coronavirus fears don’t outweigh his risk to the public, the feds said.

“While the government recognizes the seriousness of COVID-19 and the increased risk to certain federal prisoners, a generalized risk alone does not justify releasing the entire BOP population, much less a prisoner being held for racketeering charges involving crimes against specified victims and with a history of obstructing justice and

violating his bail conditions by committing serious crimes,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote. “Simply residing in MCC Chicago – even where a limited number of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 – cannot be a basis for being released.”

We exclusively revealed last week that the judge denied Kelly’s first motion for bail, arguing that he was a flight risk and remained a danger to witnesses in the case.

The judge has not ruled on Kelly’s new bail motion.