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One of the two women who has defended embattled R&B singer R. Kelly and claims to be in a relationship with him was allegedly forced to lie and is actually being manipulated by him, according to a new report.
Law enforcement officials investigating Kelly’s case told TMZ that they have met with the family of Jocelyn Savage, 23, and say they turned over mountains of evidence that show insidious tactics showing his strong arming. The Savages are said to have turned over emails and texts between the family and Kelly’s ex-assistant Cheryl Mack.
Both Savage and another woman, Azriel Clary, 21, maintained in an interview with CBS News anchor Gayle King, that aired after the bombshell interview with Kelly himself, that they are not being coerced, manipulated or held against their will.
READ MORE: The top 5 moments from Gayle King’s R. Kelly interview that fueled endless Black Twitter memes
According to Page Six, Mack facilitated a 2015 meeting with Joycelyn and Kelly in Palm Springs, Calif., that began their relationship when she was 19. Since that meeting, they say, she has not returned to her family. In prior interviews, Savage’s family has said Kelly is holding their daughter captive.
The Savages also claim they have audio recordings where Kelly is allegedly heard speaking about how he could hide his relationship with Jocelyn. He was also heard in another recording demanding she text him saying that this was all a lie, to be used against her if she was ever compelled to confess anything negative about their relationship.
READ MORE: R. Kelly’s publicist now says singer is “depressed” and “emotional”
The Savages also shared with authorities various social media accounts that Kelly’s camp uses to recruit young girls, according to Page Six. Their lawyer, Gerald Griggs denied commenting but Kelly’s lawyer Steve Greenberg says it is all gossip. “We are not going to continue to address anonymous rumors. From now on we are only going to deal with facts.”
Kelly has been embroiled in a tempest of criminal allegations since the Lifetime network documentary Surviving R. Kelly premiered. Since the airing he has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse of minors and was also briefly jailed for lack of child support payments.
READ MORE: Judge in R. Kelly’s child support case refuses to reduce his payments