For years it was one of the biggest mysteries of the music business: why R Kelly wasn’t in jail. The allegations about the sexual abuse he committed – often involving underage girls – were horrific and the evidence overwhelming and yet for decades the R&B singer managed to evade justice. But recently the I Believe I Can Fly crooner’s sordid life finally caught up with him when an American jury found him guilty of nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering after hearing how he’d been the ringleader of a violent and coercive scheme that lured young fans so he could sexually abuse them.

Source: International New York Times January 01, 1970 00:00 UTC