As jury selection nears in sex-trafficking trial of R. Kelly prosecutors have detailed new claims accusing the R&B star of fresh abuse allegations, including the claim he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy.
Prosecutors allege the singer abused the teenager after meeting him at a Chicago McDonald’s in 2006, reports the BBC.
R.Kelly denies ever abusing anyone.
Jury selection is due to start on August 9 in federal court in New York.
The Grammy-winning singer is charged with leading what prosecutors call a criminal enterprise of managers, bodyguards and other employees who allegedly helped him recruit women and girls for sex and pornography and to exercise control over them.
The charges involve six women and girls, who are not named in court filings.
According to the court filing, after asking the boy what he would do to make it in the music business, Kelly propositioned and had sexual contact with him while he was still underage.
The Guardian recalls that when Kelly was about to go on trial on child abuse image charges in Chicago in 2008, the same youth told the singer he had access to a juror, prosecutors said, adding that Kelly asked him to contact the juror and vouch he was a “good guy”.
