R. Kelly Ordered to Pay Restitution to Victims He Exposed to STDs
As R. Kelly awaits sentencing in his Chicago child pornography trial, he now has to figure out a way to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to his victims. Several women have testified in his Brooklyn trial that he exposed them to STDs without revealing his status ahead of time. Now, a judge has ordered the disgraced R&B singer to pay the victims, and has yet to determine the final amount.
Judge orders R. Kelly to pay restitution for exposing victims to STDs
Stemming from his Brooklyn criminal racketeering case in which Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison, TMZ reports there was a restitution hearing where a judge is ordering him to fork over an estimated $300k to his victims. During the hearing, the judge demanded that Kelly will have to cover treatment related to herpes, as well as psychological care that “Jane” apparently requires.
The same was granted for another victim listed as “Stephanie,” though a judge has yet to determine how much she will receive. A third victim, listed as “Sonja,” was denied restitution.
During the Brooklyn case, a physician testified that he began treating Kelly for herpes around 2007. Kelly did not testify at either the Brooklyn or Chicago trial.
One victim has spoken publicly about having herpes
One of Kelly’s former girlfriends has spoken multiple times publicly about contracting herpes during her relationship with him. Faith Rodgers met Kelly when she was just 19 backstage at a concert and began dating him. She says their relationship lasted for a year.
Within that time, Rodgers claims Kelly would lock her up when she didn’t sexually please him to his liking. She also accused him of videotaping their intimate moments without her knowledge and consent. Rodgers says she discovered Kelly had herpes after he’d already given it to her. She eventually sued him.
Rodgers detailed her experience in the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly. She also says she began suffering panic attacks after being threatened by Kelly and his associates to blackmail her with nude photos and videos from their sexual encounters.
During his Brooklyn trial, several other women took the stand to testify that they also contracted herpes from Kelly, including Azriel Clary. Clary was with Kelly from the ages of 17-22. She says Kelly was her only sexual partner, and she confronted him about exposing her to herpes while they were together.
Joycelyn Savage’s parents also fear that she may be exposed to herpes. However, they remain estranged from their daughter, despite Kelly being incarcerated.
The singer says he’s broke
It’s unclear how Kelly will pay the restitution ordered as his prison commissary was recently taken. ABC Chicago reports that $28,000 from the account will be issued to the Clerk of Court for the Eastern District of New York in connection to his sex trafficking conviction in the state, and used toward restitution. The money will also be used toward special assessment fees associated with the case.
