R&B singer R. Kelly has suffered another legal blow after a New York Court of Appeal upheld his 30-year prison sentence and convictions for racketeering and sex trafficking.
The ruling reaffirmed the 2021 verdict that found Kelly guilty of leading a criminal enterprise that exploited young girls and women.
Court’s decision on R. Kelly’s Appeal
On the 12th of February 2025, R. Kelly’s legal team faced another defeat as the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeal ruled against his request to overturn the convictions.
The court maintained that the evidence presented in the 2021 trial sufficiently proved Kelly’s involvement in a long-running scheme to recruit, manipulate, and abuse victims.
The ruling means the singer will continue serving his 30-year sentence, which was handed down after he was found guilty on nine counts related to sex trafficking and racketeering.
Kelly, once a celebrated artist, has seen his career and reputation destroyed by the extensive allegations against him.
Criminal enterprise claims
Prosecutors in the case argued that Kelly’s managers, assistants, and other associates helped him find and control underage girls, creating a system that enabled his abuse for decades.
They alleged that this network constituted an organized criminal group, ensuring Kelly remained untouchable until his eventual arrest and conviction.
Despite multiple allegations spanning years, Kelly had evaded legal consequences until the #MeToo movement and the Surviving R. Kelly documentary brought renewed public scrutiny to his actions.
Written by Felicia Angel Indakwa
