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The singer is accused of racketeering, sexual
abuse and bribery charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on
Monday in federal court in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors said the 54-year-old Kelly, known for such hits as
"I Believe I Can Fly," ran a criminal scheme in which women and
underage girls were recruited to have sexual activity with him.
They have alleged he bribed an Illinois official in 1994 to
obtain false identification for singer Aaliyah, who was then 15
years old, so they could get married. Aaliyah died in a plane
crash in the Bahamas in 2001. Kelly faces separate criminal
charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
The Grammy Award-winning singer has pleaded not guilty to all
criminal charges in cases filed in New York, Illinois and
Minnesota, and has been held without bail for nearly two years.
The allegations against Kelly date back more than two decades
and were featured in a 2019 documentary, "Surviving R. Kelly."
(Reporting by Angela Moore; Writing by Cynthia Osterman; Editing
by Marguerita Choy)
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