Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Ghislaine Maxwell, R Kelly
Anish Vij
There is a key reason why R. Kelly received a decade longer prison sentence than Ghislaine Maxwell, one expert has said.
Within the space of two days, Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday (28 June), followed by R. Kelly, who got 30 years on Wednesday (29 June).
Maxwell was sentenced for luring young girls to massage rooms for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to molest.
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While the R&B singer was sentenced for masterminding an elaborate scheme to entice and sexually exploit young aspiring singers and underage children.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told Insider that 'ultimately, what R. Kelly did was worse'.
"With R. Kelly, the girls were younger, he allegedly imprisoned them and kidnapped them from their parents, he married Aliyah when she was 15," Rahmani said.
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"R. Kelly has a pattern of really bad conduct.
"He was convicted of racketeering on top of the sex crimes — he was really running a sort of criminal organization for the purpose of sexually abusing young women, and he was directly the one committing the abuse."
Sentencing Kelly, Judge Ann Donnelly said he had taught his victims 'that love is enslavement and violence'.
“Sentencing another human being is probably the most difficult thing a judge has to do,” she said.
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“It is fair to say, Mr Kelly, that you are a person that had some great advantage, you had worldwide fame and celebrity, untold money.
“Using your status and celebrity… you had a system of people that you used to lure young fans into your orbit.
“Having your minions troll for young people at the mall… handing out your phone number… for the opportunity to meet R Kelly.”
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Meanwhile, at the hearing on Tuesday, the socialite apologised to her victims, saying she hopes her sentence will allow them 'peace and finality'.
Maxwell said meeting Epstein was the 'greatest regret of my life' and that she wanted to 'acknowledge the suffering' of her victims.
“I know my association with Epstein will follow and and forever stain me,” she said addressing the court moments before her sentence was handed down.
“It is the greatest regret of my life that I ever met Jeffrey Epstein.”
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Addressing her victims directly, she added: “To you, all the victims that came to today inside the court and outside…I am sorry for the pain you have experienced.
“I hope my sentence… brings you closure… peace and finality. To help you put those experiences in a place that helps you move forward.”
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