A federal appeal court in Manhattan has confirmed singer R. Kelly’s 30-year prison sentence. The court also upheld his convictions for racketeering and sex trafficking.

R. Kelly was first convicted in 2021 for using his fame to exploit and abuse women and underage girls. In 2022, he received another 20-year sentence for child sex charges in Chicago, including producing images of child abuse.

On February 12, 2025, a three-judge panel ruled that the 58-year-old singer ran a scheme for over 25 years, using his staff to lure victims.

The court stated that he isolated victims from their families, controlled their lives, and abused them physically, sexually, and verbally.

Kelly’s lawyers had argued that prosecutors failed to prove he operated a criminal scheme. However, the judges rejected this claim, stating that strong evidence supported the charges.

Following the ruling, Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, announced plans to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.