R. Kelly Associate Pleads Guilty To Offering Witness $500K In Hush Money
On Tuesday (Feb. 2), an associate of R. Kelly has pleaded guilty to bribing a 17-year-old witness in order to not testify; going as far as offering the singer’s accuser $500,000 in hush money.
31-year-old Richard Arline Jr. admitted during a virtual hearing in Brooklyn federal court, “Me and another person offered Jane Doe money for her to not go forward with her complaint or testimony against Robert Kelly. I knew what I did was wrong.”
After the disgraced R&B legend was smacked with a racketeering and sex trafficking indictment in Brooklyn, in 2020, an unnamed co-conspirator texted the accuser, “Rob is trying to get his cousin rich in contact with you because he wants to pay you for silence.” It’s reported that during a May 26, 2020 phone call, Arline offered the woman $500K, claiming the singer authorized the payment. However, without Arline knowing, the feds had tapped the line. Now, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Meanwhile, Kelly faces a separate indictment in Chicago, where he’s being charged for producing child pornography and destroying evidence.
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