In a legal tangle that continues to unfold, R&B singer R. Kelly finds himself fighting to reclaim $28,000 confiscated from his prison co...
According to reports from Hip Hop DX, which accessed court documents, a hearing concerning the dispute over the commissary funds was scheduled for Monday, March 18. The proceedings saw Assistant United States Attorney Kayla Bensing representing the interests of the United States against the embattled musician's claims.
The roots of this financial conflict trace back to a series of court decisions aimed at compensating Kelly's victims. In March 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in favor of Heather Williams, granting her access to R. Kelly's label fund. This fund, reportedly valued at $1.5 million in 2020 according to Billboard, became a source of restitution before Midwest Commercial Funding, a property manager, secured a separate $3.5 million ruling against Kelly over unpaid rent for a Chicago studio.
In a significant move in August of the same year, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly ordered that Kelly and his label, Universal Music Group, surrender more than $500,000 in royalties. This order also included the directive for Kelly to hand over the $28,000 in his prison canteen account, emphasizing the legal system's efforts to ensure Kelly's victims receive restitution.
The announcement of the livestream link for the hearing noted, "The defendant is appealing his conviction and the government's seizure of his substantial Bureau of Prisons commissary account to satisfy the financial penalties imposed in the case." It further stated that each side would be allotted ten minutes to present their arguments, underscoring the limited time frame to address such a complex issue.
The outcome of this legal battle will undoubtedly add another chapter to the already tumultuous legal history of R. Kelly.
