Federal authorities are reportedly searching for additional sex tapes depicting R. Kelly with underage girls as they investigate him for three different crimes, including sex trafficking.
Sources told TMZ that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is also interviewing people close to Kelly, 52. The tabloid noted that the investigation in Illinois is separate from the two probes occurring in New York.
According to the report, there are persistent rumors about a “stash” of R. Kelly sex tapes, some possibly involving minors, but law enforcement has not tracked them down.
Federal authorities are said to be investigating the singer for sex trafficking in addition to tax evasion and obstruction of justice. TMZ reported that the possible obstruction charge stems from Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial which ended in his acquittal.
Further, prosecutors in Illinois are reportedly questioning some of Kelly’s associates about the trail, probing the possibility that Kelly and his team coerced witnesses and possibly paid them off to stop them from testifying against him or speaking out.
Kelly’s attorney told TMZ: “The purpose of this, as with all investigations, is to see if there was or was not wrongdoing. It certainly does not mean there was.”
Reports of additional criminal investigations come as Kelly faces 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Cook County, Illinois, for alleged encounters involving four women—three who were were underage at the time.
While out on $1 million bail, Kelly was rearrested in early March for nonpayment of $160,000 in child support to his ex-wife. He was released days later after an unidentified person reportedly paid the entirety of his back child support.
[Featured image: R. Kelly/Cook County Sheriff’s Office via AP]
