Surviving R. Kelly: Authorities in Georgia launch criminal probe into singer’s allegations
One of the central questions posed in the new R. Kelly docu-series, Surviving R. Kelly, is how the R&B singer and accused predator has managed to avoid criminal prosecution for two decades. Now, though, TMZ reports that authorities in Georgia, where Kelly’s keeps his primary residence, have begun a criminal investigation into the various allegations made in the docu-series.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office reportedly opened an investigation in response to the stories of assault, imprisonment, and other misconduct detailed in Surviving R. Kelly. Additionally, investigators received a number of phone calls once the docu-series aired, according to TMZ.
Several of the women featured in Surviving R. Kelly have already been contacted by authorities, including Asante McGee, who says she was kept by Kelly as a “sex slave.” Relatives of Joycelyn Savage, one of the women said to be currently living under Kelly’s control, are also expected to be interviewed as part of the investigation.
Update – Jan 8th at 6:00 p.m. ET: Prosecutors in Cook County, IL are asking Kelly’s alleged victims to “please come forward” in order to initiate an investigation. So far, the State Attorney’s Office has been contacted by two families looking for missing women who may have been at Kelly’s home in Chicago. The State Attorney’s Office has not yet launched a formal investigation, but that could soon change.
For his part, Kelly maintains his innocence and contends the docu-series is a “vendetta” against him by individuals who “hated him throughout his professional career.” He previously threatened to “sue everybody” involved and also launched a website and Facebook page with the aim of discrediting his numerous accusers.
