Robert Sylvester Kelly, famously known as R. Kelly, is taking legal action against the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for alleged unauthorized access and dissemination of his confidential information to YouTube personality Tasha K.
In the lawsuit filed in Chicago federal court, Kelly contends that a BOP agent accessed his digital prison records, including private phone conversations with his girlfriend and lawyers, and sold them to Tasha K, the same YouTube host that was sued by Cardi B for defamation last year.
The suit claims, filed Monday, that Tasha K subsequently shared the information with her 1 million followers online, leading to harassment and chaos in Kelly’s personal life.
Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, wrote that the United States breached its duty of care by allowing numerous BOP officers to access confidential information without legal justification. The lawsuit further accuses Tasha K of inciting her followers to harass Kelly using the stolen information, causing him to feel isolated and fearful about communicating with attorneys or third parties, as the information could be exploited publicly.
Convicted in 2021 on racketeering and sex trafficking charges and later in 2022 on federal charges of child pornography and enticement of minors for sex, R. Kelly is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence and appealing both convictions.
The lawsuit claims that Latasha Kebe or Tasha K initially published private information in November 2019, with a video titled “R. Kelly Can’t Control his Girlfriends while Behind Bars” alleging a source from “a phone tap somewhere.” Subsequent posts divulged sensitive details, including communications with his legal team, personal and family issues, romantic interests, health problems, literacy concerns, and defense-related matters, according to Bonjean.
The lawsuit contends that an internal BOP investigation uncovered an officer accessing R. Kelly’s records through the TruView system and emailing scanned copies to third parties, including Tasha K. Despite the investigation, no charges were filed against the BOP officer, and the government has allegedly covered up ongoing misconduct.
Kelly’s legal team also claims that the illegal leaks persisted even after the BOP was aware of the initial disclosures, referencing a Washington Post report on Kelly’s $25,000 commissary funds seized by federal prosecutors for restitution.
Legally, Kelly’s lawsuit alleges negligence, invasion of privacy, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of civil theft, emotional distress, and violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by the officer stealing the records.
No updates were provided from BOP, citing pending litigation.
Source: https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/r-kelly-sues-federal-prison-bureau-illegal-leaks-youtube-host-1235470645/