R. Kelly is found guilty of Racketeering and is facing life in prison under the RICO Act

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(E. JASON WAMBSGANS/AFP via Getty Images)

A verdict has been reached in the R. Kelly trial.  The Chicago singer was found guilty of racketeering under the RICO Act and is facing a possible sentence of life in prison.   The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, was introduced in 1970. The act is primarily used to prosecute criminal enterprises conducting illegal activity.  

The indictment states that the enterprise was Kelly and his entourage, as well as his “managers, bodyguards, drivers, personal assistants, and runners.”  Kelly is characterized as the leader of the enterprise. “The purposes of the Enterprise were to promote R. Kelly’s music and the R. Kelly brand, to recruit women and girls to engage in illegal sexual activity with Kelly and to produce pornography, including child pornography,” the indictment stated. 

R. Kelly was charged with one act of bribery, three acts of sexual exploitation of a child, one act of kidnapping, three acts of forced labor, and six acts of violating the Mann Act.  Jurors found him guilty of 12 of those 14 charges.  To read more about this story click here

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