New York federal prosecutors have arrested and charged three men “related to their efforts to name, intimidate, threaten or corrupt individuals named in the case against R&B singer R. Kelly, according to court documents and a Justice Department news release.
Richard Arline, Jr .; 31, Donnell Russell, 45; and Michael Williams, 37, are all charged in three separate proven schemes.
Arline Jr., is a self-proclaimed longtime friend of Kelly who wanted to pay one of R. Kelly’s suspected victims $ 500,000 in exchange for the victim not cooperating with federal authorities, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said some of those conversations were recorded on wire tap.
The documents said Arline Jr. on a wiretapped call: “If I had a way to talk to Rob [Kelly], to be next to him and tell him what’s going on, without anyone listening, no feds, no one, he’s going to pay her … off to be quiet “because”[s]he got too much. She got too much. “
Prosecutors said Russell – a self-described manager, adviser and friend of R. Kelly – harassed and tried to intimidate a suspected victim of R. Kelly.
The criminal complaint said Russell allegedly threatened to open sexually explicit photos of the victim if she did not file a civil lawsuit against the singer.
Prosecutors say Russell posted sexually explicit photos of the woman on a Facebook page he created called “Surviving Lies” – a name prosecutors said is a play about the title of Lifetime documentary series “Surviving R” “Kelly” – and posted screenshots of text messages between Russell and the woman with those images.
Williams, who prosecutors say is the family of a person who once served as R. Kelly’s publicist, allegedly set fire to an SUV parked in the Florida residence of one of the suspected victims of R. Kelly.
In recent years, the Grammy-winning singer has faced a wave of accusations from women who claim he abused her sexually, physically and emotionally over decades. The musician, whose real name is Robert Kelly, has consistently denied allegations of sexual abuse.
Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said the crimes “were intended to undermine and undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system and to victimize the women who came forward with serious allegations of criminal conduct against suspect R. Kelly.”
Peter Fitzhugh, a special agency in charge of homeland security investigations, said “the men accused today have apparently shown that there is no line they will not cross to help Kelly the to prevent the consequences of his suspected crimes – even if it means falling victim to his accusers again. “
All three have been taken into federal custody for the past two days, a Justice Department spokesman said.
Daniel Arkin contributed.
