Six victims of disgraced musician R. Kelly have filed a new lawsuit against him, claiming he still owes over $9.9 million from a 2022 judgment. The victims, who were awarded $10.3 million in a civil lawsuit, accuse Kelly and several other parties, including his former record label, of failing to pay the judgment.
The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 31, 2024, follows an August 2023 court order where Kelly was instructed to pay over $5.1 million in compensatory damages and more than $4.5 million in punitive damages, along with interest. These amounts were part of the $10.3 million awarded to the plaintiffs, including Lizette Martinez, Lisa Van Allen, Kelly Rodgers, Faith Rodgers, Roderick Gartell, and Gem Pratts.
Despite this judgment, the victims claim that Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, still owes the majority of the sum. They are also suing several other parties, including Universal Music, its sublabel Universal Music-Z Tunes, revenue-sharing platform IndyBuild, and Kelly's former manager, Donnell Russell.
The lawsuit asserts that although Kelly’s co-publishing agreement with his record label ended in March 2019, the label is still contractually obligated to collect and remit royalties from Kelly's past works. These royalties are supposed to be paid to Kelly or his designated representative, the lawsuit claims.
In response, Kelly's attorney said; "This outrageous default judgment was entered contrary to court rules, legal precedent, and basic principles of fairness. A New York court conducted a hearing in Mr. Kelly’s absence and without his knowledge while he was incarcerated in Chicago, awarding a staggering $10,000,000 to plaintiffs for conduct committed by someone else."
She added, "A pattern has emerged from courts across the country deciding that Mr. Kelly is not entitled to the same Due Process rights as everyone else. It’s getting old. No court would have been that cavalier with the money of a white man. Our appeal is pending on this issue."
Two of the plaintiffs, Martinez and Van Allen, previously shared their stories of abuse at Kelly’s hands. Both women appeared in the 2019 Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly, where they recounted their harrowing experiences with the musician.
Lizzette Martinez in 'Surviving R. Kelly'. PHOTO: Lifetime/Youtube
Martinez first met Kelly in 1995 when she was 17, believing he could help her pursue a music career. However, their relationship quickly turned abusive. Van Allen met Kelly in 1998, also at a video shoot when she was 17. She recalled how Kelly immediately asked her age before engaging in a sexual encounter with her.
Kelly, now serving time in prison, was sentenced to 20 years for child pornography and enticement of minors. This sentence follows his earlier conviction for racketeering and sex trafficking, for which he received a 30-year sentence. Kelly is currently serving both sentences concurrently and is scheduled for release in 2045.
As the lawsuit continues, the plaintiffs and their legal teams seek to ensure that Kelly’s remaining financial obligations are met.
