Jurors convict singer R. Kelly of racketeering and sex trafficking
CBC
Jurors have found R. Kelly guilty of racketeering and eight counts of sex trafficking after a trial in which prosecutors accused the R&B singer of exploiting his stardom over a quarter century to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex.
The jury of five women and seven men reached the verdict on Monday during their second day of deliberations.
Kelly, 54, had been on trial in Brooklyn Federal Court since Aug. 18, facing allegations from as far back as the mid-1990s.
The charges were based on an argument that the entourage of managers and aides who helped the singer meet girls — and keep them obedient and quiet — amounted to a criminal enterprise.
Prosecutors said Kelly took advantage of his fame and charisma to recruit victims, including some plucked from crowds at his concerts, with the aid of people in his entourage.
Witnesses said some victims had hoped Kelly could jump-start their careers, only to find he demanded their strict obedience and would punish them if they failed.
They testified that Kelly instilled fear if his victims did not fulfil his every need, sexual and otherwise.
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