News Scrap

In an exclusive appearance on Banfield, R. Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, spoke out strongly against recent allegations made by the singer’s daughter, who claims he abused her. Bonjean revealed that Kelly is “very upset” by the accusations, which she says are not only false but also unsubstantiated. According to Bonjean, these claims have been previously investigated and found to be without merit.

The controversy erupted after Kelly’s daughter appeared in a documentary, tearfully accusing her father of abuse. Bonjean, however, dismissed these allegations as recycled stories from the past, noting that Kelly’s ex-wife had made similar claims nearly two decades ago. “These are not new allegations,” Bonjean said. “The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigated this years ago and found the claims to be unfounded. If there was any merit, charges would have been brought a long time ago.”

Bonjean emphasized that Kelly has been under scrutiny for years, especially following the release of the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries in 2019. At that time, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office even set up a hotline for people to report any allegations against him. According to Bonjean, many of the calls did not lead to credible accusations. “Not every allegation has merit,” she insisted. “Just because someone says it’s true and people cry, doesn’t mean it has any basis in reality.”

When asked by host Ashleigh Banfield if Kelly and his legal team would pursue a defamation lawsuit against his daughter, Bonjean stated that no decision has been made. While she admitted that Kelly is “angry” and “mourning” over these claims, she stressed that their focus has not yet shifted to legal retaliation. “He loves his children. That’s not really the conversation we’re having right now,” she explained.

Bonjean also questioned the reliability of the daughter’s memories, suggesting that emotional manipulation or distorted memories could play a role. “We know that sometimes people come to believe things based on distorted and contaminated memories,” she said. “Particularly children, who may be influenced by a parent’s negative portrayal of the other parent.”

Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Bonjean’s stance is firm: Kelly denies everything. She argues that if the claims had any truth to them, the legal system would have already acted. “R. Kelly is probably one of the most highly investigated individuals on the planet when it comes to these types of claims,” Bonjean said. “If there was anything to these accusations, prosecutors would have put his daughter on the stand in any of the numerous cases they’ve brought against him.”

Bonjean closed the interview by expressing doubt about the motives behind the daughter’s claims, but she didn’t speculate further. For now, R. Kelly’s defense team is focused on countering the allegations in the court of public opinion, while his legal battles continue.

As the fallout from these accusations unfolds, it remains to be seen whether R. Kelly will take further legal steps to address what his team views as defamation. For now, Kelly’s legal team is adamant: the accusations have been investigated before, and they believe there is no truth behind them.