R. Kelly Is Accused of Bribing Government Employee to Marry Aaliyah at Age 15

Prosecutors of the Eastern District of New York have added the allegation to the racketeering charge against R. Kelly.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn charged R. Kelly with bribery on Thursday (December 5th.)

According to the New York Times, who saw the indictment papers, prosecutors are accusing Kelly of bribing an Illinois government employee in 1994 in order to get a fake ID for Aaliyah so he could marry the singer who was 15 at the time. Prosecutors of the Eastern District of New York have added the allegation to the racketeering charge against the singer.

On the fake ID, which was used to get a marriage license, Aaliyah was listed as being 18 years old. R. Kelly was 27 at the time of the marriage.

Earlier this year, Kelly’s Lawyer Steven Greenberg appeared on Good Morning America and said Kelly had “no idea” Aaliyah was 15 at the time, saying, “My understanding is that she did not claim to be 15, and in order to get married, she had to lie about her age.”

The New York Times reached out to Greenberg for comment. He said that the new indictment “does not appear to materially alter the landscape.”

Source: NYTimes