ONE OF R KELLY’S ASSOCIATES IS PLEADING GUILTY TO CHARGES OF BRIBERY IN A VIRTUAL HEARING. Courthouse New Service reports. Richard Arline Jr. admitted that he offered an unnamed woman – who prosecutors believe was in a relationship with Kelly while she was underage – hundreds of thousands of dollars not to testify.
Arline was caught offering the bribe on recordings the woman made on the advice of law enforcement. In the clips, Arline offers her $500,000 if she refuses to testify. She refused and countered with $1 million. Other recordings used by law enforcement include a conversation with another man in which Arline seems to admit the woman has a substantial amount of evidence against Kelly.
During the hearing, Arline apologized for what he had done and said, “I knew what I did was wrong, and I’m sorry,”
Arline is one of three men charged with bribing or otherwise intimidating witnesses around the R. Kelly trial. Kelly’s manager, Donnell Russell, allegedly threatened to spread nude photographs of another woman if she refused to back out of the trial against Kelly.
Another associate named Michael Williams is believed to have set an SUV on fire in front of the home of one of the accusers.
Arline is scheduled to be sentenced in June. Federal bribery charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Source: Complex
