A New York federal judge ruled on Friday that prosecutors can seize the $27,000 in R. Kelly’s prison accounts to compensate his victims.
According to the New York Post, Judge Ann Donnelly ordered the Bureau of Prisons to relinquish $27,828 from Kelly’s inmate trust account in Chicago so it can be deposited into an interest-bearing account. From there, Donnelly will decide how much will be awarded to the singer’s victims.
The New York Post reported that the Bureau of Prisons froze Kelly’s inmate account last month, after prosecutors raised concerns about how much money he had garnered.
In June, Kelly, 56, received a 30-year sentence in New York for operating a sex trafficking ring that victimized young women, girls, and boys. A total of 45 witnesses testified during the six-week trial — including five women who recounted how Kelly imprisoned them and sexually abused them when they were underage.
Currently, the singer is on trial in Illinois on 13 federal charges, including child pornography and obstruction of justice.
On the state level, Kelly is still facing 21 sex-related criminal charges in Cook County, Illinois. Last August, authorities in Minnesota charged Kelly with two counts of prostitution with a person younger than 18 in connection with an alleged 2001 incident.
The defense rested their case on Friday. Closing arguments are expected to begin on Monday.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, told The New York Post that they plan to appeal Friday’s ruling regarding the singer’s inmate account.
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[Featured image: R. Kelly/Chicago Police Department]