R. Kelly Allegedly Holding Women in a Sex Cult

R&B singer R. Kelly has been accused of leading an abusive sex "cult" in which young women have been kept from their families and manipulated into a life of servitude.

According to a horrifying report from Buzzfeed News, Kelly is described as a predator who uses his celebrity to prey on aspiring young singers and force them to do his bidding, according to the parents of several alleged victims and former members of Kelly's inner circle. “This is R. Kelly, I’m going to live a lavish lifestyle," said Cheryl Mack, Kelly’s former personal assistant. "No. You have to ask for food. You have to ask to go use the bathroom. … [Kelly] is a master at mind control. … He is a puppet master.”

According to a distraught mother identified only as “J.”, her daughter grew infatuated with Kelly in 2015 after she met him backstage at a concert in Atlanta, Georgia. The two subsequently began seeing each other in secret, which escalated into an abusive relationship. J. and her husband Tim have scarcely seen or heard from their daughter since, claiming the last time they saw her was in December of last year. The last two texts they have received read, “I hate Christmas has to be this way this year.” and “Happy Mother’s Day from me and Rob.”

They have since filed a missing person’s report but police have their hands tied, as the women are all above the age of consent and involved in what legally constitutes a consensual relationship. According to Cook County police, J.’s daughter claimed she is “fine and did not want to be bothered” when contacted by the department.

The story marks another allegation of sexual abuse against the Ignition and Trapped In The Closet singer. In 1994, Kelly married the late R&B singer Aaliyah when she was only 15-years-old, listing her age as 18 on the marriage certificate. In 2008, he was acquitted on all counts in an infamous, long-going child pornography trial in which he was alleged to have filmed himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Numerous other cases brought against Kelly have been settled out of court.

Several disturbing details in Buzzfeed's report include the existence of a "den mother" who would coach girls on how to best please Kelly sexually; Kelly demanding that he knew the color of the girls' panties every day; Kelly ordering girls to wear jogging suits and face the wall if other men were present; Kelly beating a woman against a tree for being too friendly with a male cashier at a Subway; paid for a girl's breast augmentation surgery without her parents' consent. There are many more.

Responding to the story, R. Kelly's lawyer wrote in an e-mail, "He works hard to become the best person and artist he can be. It is interesting that stories and tales debunked many years ago turn up when his goal is to stop the violence; put down the guns; and embrace peace and love. I suppose that is the price of fame. Like all of us, Mr. Kelly deserves a personal life. Please respect that."

At the time of writing, it is unclear how the report will affect Kelly and the women involved with him--if at all.