R. Kelly released from jail after $161,000 child support paid on his behalf
Chicago — Three days after he was jailed for failing to pay child support, R. Kelly was released from a Chicago jail on Saturday. Cook County sheriff's officials said a person who asked to remain anonymous paid $161,000 to secure the singer's release, the Associated Press reported.
Kelly was jailed Wednesday after he told a judge he could not pay the full amount. Kelly briefly spoke to reporters after his release. "I promise, we will straighten this out," he said. "That is all I can say right now."
"Anything you would like to say to your fans?" one reporter asked. "I love my fans," he said.
His attorney, Steve Greenberg, would not give details about the child support payments. "He paid the child support. He paid it year after year after year," Greenberg said.
"Who paid the money so that he could get out today?" CBS News asked.
"That's for me to know and for no one else," Greenberg responded.
In his explosive interview with "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King, he said he only had $350,000 left in his bank account.
"So many people have been stealing my money. People was connected to my account. I went into — I went by myself for the first time to a Bank of America. Didn't know what I was doing. Didn't know what the hell was going on," he said.
Last month, Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charges involve four women, three of whom were underage at the time of the alleged events. In his interview with King, the singer denied the allegations and called his accusers liars.
Kelly has faced intense scrutiny for more than a decade, which was reignited in January after the six-part Lifetime docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly." It featured interviews with seven accusers and former members of his inner circle. They all said Kelly preys on vulnerable women and young girls.
Jericka Duncan contributed to this report.