R Kelly asks US judge for permission to perform in Dubai and 'meet with the royal family'
As a bond condition in his sexual abuse case, Kelly must stay in Illinois unless a judge approves out-of-state travel.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Dubai has been caught up in the sex abuse case against R Kelly, after the R&B singer asked a judge for permission to travel there to perform and "meet with the royal family".
Kelly was charged on 22 February with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse for allegedly assaulting three underage girls and one adult woman.
The singer has struggled to pay child support "and other child related expenses", his lawyer Steven A Greenberg said. He blamed Kelly's financial issues on the cancellation of Illinois concerts and a record company contract, along with the removal of his songs from streaming services. Greenberg said Kelly now needs to raise money through performances elsewhere.
A defence filing on 20 March in Chicago said he would do three to five concerts in Dubai. It did not specify where he would play or how much he would earn. There is currently no publicised event at which Kelly is known to be a performer, however Dubai's luxury nightclubs often host artists for days at a time, while rich families also pay celebrities to appear at their parties.
It is unclear what Kelly's lawyers mean regarding "the royal family". The UAE's seven emirates are overseen by hereditary rulers. Dubai's ruler is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 69. His son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, is next in line to be ruler and serves as Dubai's crown prince.
As a bond condition in his sexual abuse case, Kelly must stay in Illinois unless a judge approves out-of-state travel. The court filing asserts Kelly is not a flight risk, and says the UAE would never jeopardise its close political and security ties with the US.