R. Kelly charged with prostitution involving a minor

R&B star, R. Kelly is facing prostitution charges by prosecutors in Minnesota, who allege he solicited a teenager who asked him for an autograph in 2001.

According to county attorney Mike Freeman, Kelly invited the 17-year-old to his hotel room and offered her $200 (£164) to undress and dance with him.

After money was exchanged they had sexual contact but not intercourse, Freeman claimed.

Kelly’s lawyer Steve Greenberg said the charges were “beyond absurd”.

His colleague Doug Anton said it was not clear that R. Kelly had ever met his alleged victim and that the charges might be a case of “revisionist history”.

R. Kelly’s crisis manager resigns after controversial comments

The R&B singer is now facing criminal proceedings in three US states.

The 52-year-old is currently being held without bail awaiting trial on charges of sexual assault, child pornography and obstruction of justice in Chicago and New York.

He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

The singer, whose full name is Robert S Kelly, has been dogged by allegations of sexual abuse for years.

He previously faced trial on child pornography charges in 2008, but was acquitted when his alleged victim and her parents refused to testify.

Source: BBC