Singer R. Kelly Jailed Again, This Time for Unpaid Child Support

Second from left, singer R. Kelly arrives at the Daley Center for his hearing, on March 6,
Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

R&B singer R. Kelly has been arrested in Chicago again, this time for unpaid child support.

The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer reportedly owes $161,000 in back child support, according to state offices, CNN reported.

Cook County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari reported that Kelly was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after a hearing on his child support debt.

Kelly’s spokesperson said that the singer approached the court “in good spirit,” and was prepared to pay up to $60,000 of the debt, but the judge demanded the entire debt be settled immediately. Kelly’s publicist, Darryll Johnson added that Kelly was unable to pay the whole debt because his other legal troubles have prevented him from working.

In 2009, Kelly was ordered to begin making payments of nearly $21,000 a month. He did not attend that hearing and has since often refused to make the payments.

Wednesday’s arrest is only the latest legal problem facing the music mogul. Last month he was arrested and charged with a list of sex charges, including the abuse of underage girls.

The singer recently appeared in an emotionally charged interview where he cried, ranted, and screamed that he was being “assassinated.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.

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