R Kelly is reportedly engaged to one of his alleged victims, Joycelyn Savage.
The relationship status between the R&B singer, who was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, and Savage was detailed in a letter Savage sent to a judge before Kelly’s sentencing, according to TMZ.
Savage reportedly described Kelly as her fiancé in a letter written to a federal judge in which she also asked for a lenient sentence.
“Thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences,” Savage wrote, according to TMZ, which obtained the letter. “My name is Joycelyn Savage, and I’m Robert Kelly’s fiancé[e]. I’m writing this letter in support of Robert in advance of his sentencing, so I can explain to the court that I’m not the victim that the government has portrayed me to be.”
In the letter, Savage went on to describe her relationship with Kelly as “amazing” before claiming that he is the “best thing that’s ever happened to me”.
“We have a very special connection and are deeply in love. I still support Robert to this day because I love him and will always be here to support him. Robert is not the monster that the government has described him to be. The Robert I know is very sweet, gentle, and kind. At the end of the day, he has always made sure that I’m taken care of, and any other women he was with as well,” she wrote.
Savage also claimed that allegations Kelly held her and other women against their will are “absolutely untrue” and “the complete opposite of who he is and what my relationship is like with Robert”.
“Robert and I are deeply in love and it breaks my heart that the government has created a narrative that I’m a victim. I’m a grown woman, and can speak for myself which is why I wanted to provide this letter to the court,” she added, before concluding: “I respectfully ask that the Court take my words into consideration when sentencing Robert. He is a great man, with a great heart and deserves to be home with his loved ones who are ready to support him.”
In a statement to TMZ, Gerald Griggs, a lawyer for Savage’s parents, said that Savage never made the engagement known to her family, nor has she ever spoken about the “possibility” of the pair becoming engaged.
Griggs also questioned the legitimacy of the pair’s alleged engagement considering Savage didn’t testify about the relationship status under oath.
According to TMZ, Savage’s family “strongly doubts” the validity of the engagement claims, however, Griggs noted that Savage hasn’t spoken to her family since leaving to be with the disgraced singer.
The Independent has contacted Savage, a lawyer for R Kelly, and Griggs for comment.