R. Kelly accused of running abusive ‘cult’
American R&B singer Robert “R.” Kelly is being accused of running an abusive “cult” by a number of women’s parents, who claim Kelly has “brainwashed” their daughters.
The Buzzfeed News investigation, which quotes several parents of women involved in his inner circle, plus three women — Cheryl Mack, Kitti Jones and Asante McGee — said to be former members, claims Kelly controls the women’s actions. According to the article, he recruits women in their late teens and early to mid-20s and makes them follow a series of rules.
The 50-year-old Grammy Awardwinning singer allegedly confiscates the women’s phones, houses them in a home he rents, films their sexual activities, insists they wear loose clothing and face the wall when other men are present, does not allow them to contact their families and does not let them leave the house without permission. If the rules are broken, Mack and Jones said, he punishes the women physically and verbally.
The investigation was conducted by veteran Chicago journalist Jim DeRogatis, who has covered the singer for years, and broke the story about Kelly’s alleged sexual relationship with an underage girl, which led to child pornography charges.
Prior to this, Kelly was no stranger to scandal. He was secretly married in 1994 to then 15-year-old Aaliyah.
Further, Kelly paid to settle several lawsuits from women who alleged that he had sex with them when they were underage.
When asked about the investigation, his lawyer, Linda Mensch, responded to the Star in an email, saying he denies the allegations.
“Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations attributed to him,” she wrote. “Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name.”