R. Kelly Accuser Faith Rodgers Testifies In Front Of Grand Jury: Report

BY Erika Marie 11.9K Views
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R. Kelly
The singer's crisis manager said, "Mr. Kelly feels like the devil is working overtime."

A woman who has accused R. Kelly of sexual abuse and was featured on the Lifetime network's controversial Surviving R. Kelly docuseries has reportedly secretly testified in front of a grand jury. According to a report by TMZ, the United States Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York convened a grand jury to hear the testimony of a woman named Faith Rodgers.

Of course, there's no way of knowing what Rodgers revealed to the grand jury, but in the past year, she's been quite vocal about her accusations against the singer. Rodgers previously told CBS News that she was in a relationship with Kelly when she was 19-years-old, a union that lasted for a year. She alleges that Kelly told her to call him "daddy," locked her away for days at a time, and introduced her to one of five women he was reportedly "raising." She also told the news station that Kelly recorded their first sexual encounter without her consent and later reported that he gave her a sexually transmitted disease.

There are two reported investigations in New York state, one in the Eastern District and the other in the Southern District. This doesn't include the probes taking place in Kelly's home state of Illinois. TMZ states that there are a number of witnesses who will also testify for the grand jury in Illinois related to investigations that center around tax evasion, obstruction of justice, and sex trafficking.

Darrell Johnson, Kelly's crisis manager told TMZ, "Mr. Kelly feels like the devil is working overtime in effort to try to destroy his musical legacy for selfish, personal enrichment. We feel everything will line up right on track when it is all said and done." He added, "Mr. Kelly is not where he wants to be in life at this present moment. However, every indication shows that he is headed in the direction of a positive outcome. He feels that when you are very focused people try to take you down. He’s very confident that in the end he will be proven innocent.’’


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.