Picture Credit score: Tingey Harm Legislation AgencyNew court docket filings reveal that federal prosecutors have moved to garnish R. Kelly-related royalties from Common Music Publishing Group and Sony Music Leisure.
Federal prosecutors have formally moved to grab R. Kelly’s royalties held by Sony Music Leisure and Common Music Publishing Group, saying it will likely be used to pay victims and fulfill excellent fines.
Prosecutors in Brooklyn have requested a federal decide for writs of garnishment in opposition to the label and writer — court docket orders that might compel the 2 firms at hand over funds tied to Kelly’s music — two years after successful a jury verdict convicting the disgraced singer of intercourse trafficking and racketeering.
Federal prosecutors argue that Sony Music and Common Music Publishing are believed to be “in possession of property” belonging to Kelly that may very well be used to pay greater than $500,000 that he owes in sufferer restitution and legal fines.
Whereas it’s unclear how a lot of Kelly’s funds the 2 firms maintain, a court docket ruling in March disclosed that Kelly’s royalty account with Sony held $1,544,333 in 2020.
Following his sentence final summer time to 30 years in jail on intercourse trafficking and racketeering fees, Kelly was ordered to pay greater than $480,000 in fines and restitution. One other $42,000 was tacked on in February on separate little one pornography convictions.
These filings are the most recent efforts to gather on judgements dominated final summer time (for intercourse trafficking and racketeering in New York) and in February (for little one pornography convictions in Illinois). Final fall, prosecutors confiscated almost $30,000 in Kelly’s jail commissary account.
In a press release launched on June 1, Kelly’s lead lawyer Jennifer Bonjean advised Billboard that she and her shopper consider the restitution order in opposition to him is inaccurate and will probably be overturned on enchantment. However, Bonjean additionally stated she and her shopper have “no opinion” on prosecutors looking for to garnish funds held by Sony Music and Common Music Publishing Group.