Federal Judge Orders R. Kelly and Universal Music Group to Pay $500,000 in Fines and Restitution

A federal judge has issued an order requiring R. Kelly and Universal Music Group to pay more than $500,000 in fines and restitution to the imprisoned singer’s victims.

This court decision comes nearly two years after a federal jury sentenced R. Kelly to 30 years in prison for racketeering and multiple Mann Act violations.

In addition to his prison sentence, R. Kelly was slapped with a large amount of money in fines and restitution, but his lawyers claimed he did not have the means to pay them.

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Now, a United States District judge has taken more direct steps to ensure that R. Kelly meets his financial obligations: An order has been issued that both R. Kelly and Universal Music Group, his record label, must pay approximately $500,000 to cover your debt.

Why is the label included?

The reason Universal Music Group is being included in the debt payment is because both Universal and Sony are believed to own property belonging to R. Kelly, including royalty payments that both companies were withholding during the court proceedings.

R. Kelly’s attorney claimed at the time that his client had almost no money due to declining income from touring and performances as a result of the allegations against him.

However, prosecutors argued that R. Kelly had access to millions of dollars from the sale of some of his royalty rights.

The judge’s order to use the royalties generated by R. Kelly for the restitution of the victims is an important step in the ongoing legal process. It seeks to ensure that people affected by R. Kelly’s actions receive adequate compensation.

This situation also highlights the responsibility of record companies in cases of this type. Both Universal Music Group and Sony have been identified as holding property related to R. Kelly, including royalty payments owed to him.

In this way, the decision that Universal Music Group contributes to cover the debt through the royalties generated represents a step towards corporate responsibility in cases of abuse and crimes committed by artists.

2023-08-26 19:24:27
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