Singer R Kelly charged with sexual abuse: US media

Singer R Kelly was criminally charged in Illinois on Friday with multiple counts of sexual abuse, local media reported. 

The R&B star was charged in Cook County with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing court records.

Kelly is scheduled to appear in court on March 8 in Chicago, a Cook County court official told AFP news agency. 

Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx was scheduled to announce charges against Kelly at a news conference later on Friday in Chicago, Foxx’s office said in a statement.

Sonja Spoo, centre, associate campaign director of Ultra Violet, leads chants during an R Kelly protest in the lobby of Sony headquarters, in New York [Richard Drew/AP Photo]

Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, was the subject of a television documentary series last month titled “Surviving R Kelly” in which multiple women made allegations of sexual misconduct against the performer.

The singer and record producer has for years denied accusations of abuse, including those made in the new documentary series. 

Kelly’s record label, Sony Music-owned RCA, split with the Chicago native last month.

Representatives for Kelly did not immediately respond to request for comment. 

Kelly is one of the top-selling recording artists of all time. He has won multiple Grammys, including for his hit-song, “I Believe I Can Fly”.

Jurors acquitted Kelly of child pornography charges at a 2008 trial. Those charges stemmed from a video prosecutors alleged showed Kelly having sex with a girl as young as 13.

Attorney Michael Avenatti said last week that he recently gave Chicago prosecutors new video evidence of Kelly having sex with an underage girl.

Demonstrators chant during an R Kelly protest outside Sony headquarters, in New York [Richard Drew/AP Photo]