R. Kelly has been found guilty of racketeering in his highly publicized sex trafficking trial. The trial began on August 18, and the jury began deliberating this past Friday.
Prosecutors had accused the R&B hitmaker of exploiting his fame to lure women and underage girls over the span of 25 years. Meanwhile, Kelly’s defense argued that the singer had been generous to those in his circle, and that his accusers were merely trying to cash in on Kelly’s situation through book deals or other means.
Kelly had pleaded not guilty to the racketeering charge as well as “eight counts of violating a federal law making it illegal to transport people across state lines for prostitution.”.
Today, he was convicted of a federal jury made up of seven men and five women.
Kelly will be sentenced on May 4. According to CNN, an attorney for Kelly said he is “considering filing an appeal and is disappointed in the verdict.”
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