R. Kelly Victims Want Their $9M As They Go After Singer’s Royalties
R. Kelly may be locked away in jail for the next 27 years but his legal problems – and financial woes keep piling up now that six of his accusers have filed a legal action to seize his music royalties to collect on a nearly $10 million judgment.
The lawsuit seeks to redirect earnings from Kelly’s catalog toward satisfying the outstanding debt from a prior court ruling award to Lizette Martinez, Lisa Van Allen, Kelly Rodgers, Faith Rodgers, Roderick Gartell, and Gem Pratts.
They secured a $10.36 million default judgment in 2022 after R. Kelly and his co-defendants, including manager Donnell Russell, failed to appear in court.
The debt, with added interest, stands at $9,937,314.38. A payment of $210,639.77 was collected earlier this year through a garnishment process, but it only covered a fraction of 82 days’ worth of accrued interest.
The original lawsuit stemmed from harassment, intimidation, and retaliation allegations tied to Kelly’s abusive behavior and those of his associates, particularly following the release of the “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary.
The court ordered significant payouts to the victims, ranging from $1.15 million to $2.75 million each, alongside punitive damages and legal fees incurred throughout the trial.
Universal Music confirmed R. Kelly still generates royalties from a 1991 publishing deal. Although the agreement was terminated in 2019 amidst Kelly’s mounting legal challenges, Universal remains responsible for collecting and remitting royalties on the singer’s behalf.
The victims now request a court order to seize all future royalty payments until the judgment is paid in full.
Faith Rodgers, who testified against Kelly in his federal trial in Brooklyn, alleges Kelly filmed her without consent and falsely imprisoned her during their relationship when she was 19.
Others, like Lizette Martinez and Lisa Van Allen, documented harrowing experiences of grooming and manipulation in both court filings and public disclosures.
Martinez later wrote about her abuse in a book.
R. Kelly, imprisoned on separate federal convictions, claimed he was unaware of the legal proceedings that led to the $10 million default judgment.
R. Kelly also denied Russell was ever his manager and argued that he had no involvement in Russell’s actions, which included efforts to intimidate victims by calling a Manhattan theater claiming someone had a gun and was about to shoot the place up.
Russell, who achieved his goal of shutting down the screening of “Surviving R. Kelly,” was sentenced to one year in prison for his dastardly action.