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Singer R.

Kelly was convicted of trafficking in women and minors for sexual purposes

The musician, known in part for his song "I Believe I Can Fly," was convicted by a federal court of all nine charges against him, at the end of a five-week trial.

Prosecutors claimed he used his publicity and charisma to recruit victims, some from a fan base at gigs

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• R. Kelly

Reuters

Monday, 27 September 2021, 22:49 Updated: 22:53

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Singer R. Kelly ("I Believe I Can Fly") was convicted today (Monday) by a federal court of sex trafficking offenses after being accused of using her fame for more than a quarter of a century to oust women and minors for sex. Kelly denies all allegations against him.

The jury debated for just over a day before deciding to convict the 54-year-old singer of all nine charges, at the end of a five-and-a-half-week trial - one charge of extortion and eight of violating the law preventing people from committing prostitution. Prosecutors claimed he took advantage of his publicity and charisma to recruit victims, some from a fan base at his shows, with the help of characters from his surroundings.

Some witnesses said some of the victims hoped Kelly could help them kick-start their careers, only to find that he required them to be strictly obedient and would punish them if they did not comply.

The singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is one of the most prominent figures to stand trial for sex offenses in the #MeToo era, which has fueled allegations leveled at a musician since the early 2000s.

One of these allegations is that among the singer's alleged victims is also the singer Elijah, who died in a plane crash in 2001. Some of the various allegations against him were described in the series "Surviving R. Kelly", which aired in 2019.

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