On Aug. 23, a New York judge ordered Universal Music Group to cover R. Kelly’s restitution bill.
An order of garnishment was filed against Kelly and Universal Music Group to cough up nearly $507,000 in payments that are being held by the label. Victims of the singer are expected to have the money divided and given to them, as they’ve only received a sum of $27K in restitution.
The record label had until June 21 to disclose the amount that Kelly was withholding in songwriter royalties that needed to be paid. Universal Media Group had unpaid royalties that totaled around $567,000, which was enough to settle the debt, and they now have 10 days from the receipt of the order of garnishment to pay Kelly’s debt.
Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted in 2021 on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges from accusations that he ran a scheme to recruit and abuse women and underage girls. In September 2022, he was convicted in Chicago on charges of child pornography enticement of minors of sex. He was sentenced to 20 years on those convictions but will serve them simultaneously with the 30-year sentence.
