R Kelly might not be broke in the sense he has no money, but he likely is broke in the sense that the money he has as opposed to his debt doesn’t add up.
AP did a brief breakdown of what is going on with his finances.
R. Kelly grew up in a public housing project in one of Chicago’s toughest South Side neighborhoods and built a worldwide musical brand that earned tens of millions of dollars over a nearly 30-year career.
But tax and legal issues — including recently filed charges that he sexually abused three girls and a woman — could leave the Grammy winner who has written songs for some of music’s top stars with next to nothing.
In an emotional interview that aired this week, Kelly told “CBS This Morning” that people stole money from his bank accounts.
“In the recording business, it’s not like you get a check every week,” said Chicago attorney Eric Macey. He represented former Kelly business manager Derrel McDavid in a 2014 lawsuit against Kelly. A court entered a civil judgment of just over $1 million against the star.
That judgment was only a part of Kelly’s mounting money troubles. Financial records show at least six federal tax liens totaling about $8 million were filed between 2009 and 2012. The records also show a federal tax payment of more than $2.6 million in 2008.
In 2013, Kelly’s custom-built suburban Chicago mansion, once valued at more than $5 million, sold for $950,000 in a foreclosure auction. Kelly was evicted in February 2018 from two Atlanta-area homes over more than $31,000 owed in unpaid back rent.
This doesn’t even take into account the settlements he has made over the years and it also appears he doesn’t own any of his publishing which is problematic considering the amount of music he has put out.
Flip the page for R Kelly talking about being broke.
