CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess) – Celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti is claiming that R&B singer R. Kelly paid $2 million to keep the alleged victim in a child pornography case off the witness stand during a 2008 trial that ended with his acquittal on all charges, according to The Associated Press.
During a news conference held Monday, Avenatti, who reportedly now represents three of Kelly’s alleged victims, three parents of victims and three of the singer’s associates who he called “whistleblowers,” said, “R. Kelly bought his acquittal.” He also said that the singer paid at least one associate $100,000 to track down videos of him having sex with a minor that had gone missing, reports AP.
Avenatti’s comments arrived mere days after federal prosecutors announced they’d indicted Kelly in New York and Chicago on charges that he and his entourage recruited girls and young women to engage in illegal sexual activity and covered it up by paying and threatening witnesses and victims. The 52-year-old Kelly was arrested and remains in federal custody.
He is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for a bond hearing, during which prosecutors are expected to argue that he should remain locked up because he is both dangerous and a flight risk.
His attorney has denied the allegations.
