Theories, conspiracy or otherwise, tend not to need factual proof in order to become a hot topic on social media. If something is controversial, especially if it includes names of respected, famous figures, it takes only a few moments for it trend. That's exactly what happened to Oprah Winfrey back in March when she found herself as the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter after allegations that she'd been arrested for sex trafficking and child pornography ran rampant.
Recently, Oprah took to her own platform, O Magazine, to address the rumors that left her stunned. She said she was in bed lost in a book when she received a call about her name going viral. "I can’t and don’t want to imagine an uglier accusation," she wrote in her article. She said when she first read it, she was confused. "But I'm in my bed in my pj's and socks, and somehow #OprahArrested is a thing. My worst fear realized. Being slandered, accused of a crime I didn’t commit."
Oprah went on to pen how the false accusations triggered reminders of the abuse she suffered as a child. "Lies are like those lashes. As a young girl, I never got angry; whippings made me sad," she added. "The same is true today. Except the sadness isn’t for myself—it’s for what I see the world becoming. How easy it is to slice, destroy, cancel someone with vitriol. How easily people swallow and spread that vitriol with gleeful memes." She continued, "To paraphrase Genesis 50:20: What man intended for evil, God intended for good."
R. Kelly’s Former Managers’ Motion To Have Child Porn Case Charges Denied
They argued the statute of limitations expired. The judge said they were mistaken.
R. Kelly isn’t the only one taking the fall for his long list of sex crimes. To be both a celebrity and serial sexual predator for decades expectedly requires the collusion of others to cover of his tracks or turn a blind eye. The disgraced singer’s former managers, Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown, are two other defendants listed in Kelly’s child pornography case, as they allegedly aided Kelly in bribing victims and destroying evidence.
Back in October, McDavid and Brown both argued that they could not be held criminally accountable for this federal conspiracy charge since they claimed the statute of limitations had expired. They are being accused of obtaining and destroying sex tapes involving Kelly and minors between 1997 and 2002, which they believed would only allow the court to prosecute them for those crimes up to 2014. It turns out they were wrong.
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According to All Hip Hop, on Tuesday (Feb. 4), the managers’ motions to have the charges dropped were denied by Judge Harry D. Leinenweber. “As alleged, Defendants did not perform these overt acts to cover up the prior alleged crimes but rather in furtherance of the conspiracy’s main criminal objectives, including to conceal sexual abuse,” the judge’s ruling stated.
Kelly and his managers claimed that there was not sufficient evidence for them to be prosecuted for this crime and that the statute of limitations had run out.
R. Kelly Allegedly Offered Brother $50K To Take Fall For Child Porn Tape
Carey Kelly wanted no part in his brother’s scheme.
R. Kelly‘s alleged crimes have been well-documented over the last few decades. Suspicions of Kelly’s activity began in the early 2000s when a graphic sex tape made its way into people’s hands. The tape allegedly showed Kelly engaging in sexual acts with a minor. This tape has become infamous over the last few years and continues to haunt those who witnessed it. Earlier this year, Kelly’s alleged conduct was put on full display in a docuseries called Surviving R. Kelly. Now, a second part is coming out called The Reckoning.
According to the Daily Mail, there is one interview that is particularly jarring. In the clip below, Kelly’s younger brother Carey talks about how Kelly offered him $50,000 in exchange for claiming to be the man in the infamous child porn tape. Carey eventually declined and seemed to be shocked about the whole thing.
“Perjure myself in a court of law and risk jail time for some stuff that didn’t have anything to do with me,” Carey said. “He was saying, “Man I’ll buy you a car, I’ll buy you a record deal, I’ll give you $50,000.” I said, “Let me tell you something man. You ain’t got enough money for me to say that’s me. Because it ain’t worth me selling my soul.”‘
The second part of the documentary drops tonight and we’re sure there will be many more stories on the way. Stay tuned for updates on Kelly’s situation as we will be sure to bring them to you.
