Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer R. Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida.
A longtime friend of the indicted singer offered to pay a victim $500,000 to keep her from cooperating in Kelly's prosecution, authorities said, while a manager and adviser of Kelly threatened to release sexually explicit photographs of a woman who sued Kelly.
The Grammy-award winning musician has denied ever abusing anyone and has pleaded not guilty to dozens of state and federal sexual misconduct charges in Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.
The charges range from sexual assault to heading a racketeering scheme aimed at supplying Kelly with girls. Kelly also is accused of having unprotected sex with a girl in 2015 without disclosing he had herpes.
Prosecutors described a third man accused of intimidating witnesses as being related to a former Kelly publicist. They said Michael Williams, 37, of Valdosta, Georgia, traveled to Florida in June and set fire to an SUV parked outside a residence where one of Kelly's victims was staying.
Williams also conducted Internet searches for "the detonation properties of fertilizer and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering and countries that do not have extradition with the United States," authorities said in a news release.
A message was sent to Williams' attorney seeking comment.
NYC legalized recreational adult use marijuana but before the industry settles in, we're taking on to an underground NYC dinner party where the food is infused with cannabis. Cheddar's Chloe Aiello reports.
The leaders of Russia and China have put aside their raw-worded disputes with U.S. President Joe Biden long enough to pledge international cooperation on cutting climate-wrecking coal and petroleum emissions.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck and a further encouraging sign that layoffs are slowing on the strength of an improving job market.
Jill and Carlo look at the slowing momentum with the vaccine rollout and what can be done about it. It's also Earth Day -- and there are reasons to be hopeful about the climate, believe it or not. Plus, the post-pandemic denim debate: is baggy really back?
Along with other celebrities, Venus Williams is partnering with Delos' International WELL Building Institute in order to safely welcome back fans and attendees to live events.
With an increased global appetite for rare, endangered species of cacti and succulents, many fear that one day, we won’t see many unique cacti in the wild anymore.
Speakeasy-turned cannabis lifestyle brand Happy Munkey took over upscale steakhouse Bobby Van's for a 4/20 celebration.
A judge overseeing a sweeping lawsuit about homelessness in Los Angeles has ordered the city and county to find shelter for all unhoused residents of Skid Row within 180 days.
After three weeks of testimony, the trial of the former police officer charged with killing George Floyd ended swiftly.
Body camera video shows a Columbus officer fatally shoot a Black teenage girl who swung at two other people with a knife.
