Six of the women who won a collective $10.3 million judgment against R. Kelly in 2022 have sued the singer for $9.9 million that they claim he has not paid, the New York Post reported Saturday. The group also named Universal Music and Univeral Music-Z Tunes in the lawsuit, as well as Kelly’s former manager Donnell Russell and Chicago-based IndyBuild.
Lizette Martinez, Lisa Van Allen, Kelly Rodgers, Faith Rodgers, Roderick Gartell, and Gem Pratts, who all participated in the “Surviving R. Kelly” docuseries, claim in their lawsuit that they have received less than $500,000.
The outlet reported a judge ordered Kelly to pay all six plaintiffs $5.1 million in compensatory damages and $4.5 million in punitive damages in August 2023.
Kelly was found guilty of eight counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering based on the sexual exploitation of children and violating the Mann Act in September 2021. The jury heard testimony from 50 witnesses overall as prosecutors laid out their case against R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly. The case is also notable in the #MeToo era as many of the witnesses who provided testimony were Black women.
The singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the sexual abuse of several women, girls and boys.
“Surviving R. Kelly” was released in January 2019. The docuseries was seen by 26 million people during its initial release. Journalist Soledad O’Brien hosted “Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact,” which featured included interviews with journalists, legal experts, non-profit organizations and psychologists, the new special offers an in-depth look at Kelly’s interview with Gayle King and considers the women who continue to stand by the embattled artist.
