Earlier this week, we reported that R. Kelly has been accused of operating a “sex cult,” in which a number of young women in their teens and early twenties are held against their will, subservient to the 50-year-old music icon.
A report from Buzzfeed News details the allegations of several sets of parents who say their children have been effectively brainwashed by Kelly and are forced to follow a strict set of rules devised by the singer.
“[Kelly] is a master at mind control … He is a puppet master,” one parent claimed.
The shocking Buzzfeed report went on to claim that Kelly “dictates what they eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters that he records.”
Yesterday, Kelly responded to the allegations via a statement issued by his lawyers:
“Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations attributed to him,” reads the statement.
“Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name.”
As you may already know, Kelly’s history with underage girls is long and sordid, and many were hoping this would be the incident that would finally take him down.
Unfortunately, it may prove tremendously difficult to make a case against Kelly, as at least one of the women who is allegedly being held captive is now stating publicly that she and the rest of the women live with Kelly of their own free will.
In a pair of videos posted today, Joselyn Savage, one of Kelly’s alleged victims, addressed the pucblic and her parents directly.
Savage says her parents have blown the situation out of proportion, and she is not being held against her will.
She adds that, like the other members of Kelly’s “entourage,” she is not in any physical danger:
“I am in a happy place with my life, and I am not being brainwashed or anything like that,” Jocelyn says in the clip above.
“I just want my parents and everyone in the world to know that I’m totally fine,” Savage adds.
“I’m happy with where I’m at”
Asked about her relationship with her parents, Savage replied:
“I haven’t really spoken to them. They’ve been causing problems in life, saying that I’m being held against my will, and stuff like that.
Of course, the video is likely to offer much comfor to Savage’s parents.
If, as they say, she’s been brainwashed, she might not be in a position to evaluate her own situation.
We’ll have further updateds on this story as more information becomes available.