R. Kelly isn’t just in legal trouble as the case for sexual assault against him moves forward. The controversial singer is also facing some serious money issues after a former landlord seized his assets, leaving him with negative $13 in the bank, according to The Blast .
As The Inquisitr previously reported, the landlord who owns Kelly’s infamous Chicago studio was suing him for back rent. On Wednesday, Midwest Commercial Funding issued a subpoena to Sony Music Holdings to put a hold on his royalties so the company could recoup their losses. They also issued subpoenas to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers and several of Kelly’s banks. The former landlord won a $173,000 judgment against Kelly to get what’s owed to them.
Kelly stopped paying his rent on the reported headquarters for his so-called “sex cult” last year, leaving him with over $200,000 in debt. His former landlord had already collected over $154,000 from Kelly but still needed to get an additional $52,000 from the singer.
It’s no skin off Sony’s back seeing as how Kelly and Sony went their separate ways after the documentary Surviving R. Kelly started airing on Lifetime, bringing the sexual assault allegations against the singer to a broad audience.
On Friday, it was revealed that when Midwest Commercial Funding seized their initial $150,000, it left Kelly in the red in his Wintrust Bank account. Kelly also holds accounts with Bank of America, but both of those were drained as well, leaving the singer with just $625.
That still leaves $50,000, and the company is asking Sony to settle up.
Kelly’s Chicago music studio was raided by police, who found evidence that the singer was using the location as a permanent residence. Kelly was slapped with 66 code violations and fines of $66,000 per day for the illegal sauna, steam room, and bar housed within the studio.
A judge today restricted the hours of access for the studio/warehouse rented by R. Kelly to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (despite it not being zoned for such use, according to the city). Several photos from last week’s inspection were also released. https://t.co/linwbXKtRs pic.twitter.com/AdFDX3nq7r
— Sam Charles (@samjcharles) January 22, 2019
Kelly has had a rough week. Not only is he facing money troubles, but the singer was hit with a swift backlash after making a club appearance for a $22,000 payday. Kelly seemed to know that his one-hour show would garner unwanted attention because he asked the media to be kind to him just before the show.
“I got an event to do tonight in Springfield, Illinois, so I want the media to take it easy on me, man,” he pled on Instagram . “This is how I got to get paid for right now, so I’ve got to go do this event and it’s a party. So when you see me in the club with drinks in my hand and chillin’, please, take it easy. Appreciate y’all. Thanks.”
