Disgraced singer spends night behind bars

R. Kelly spent the night in jail after failing to post bond — because the singer “really doesn’t have any money,” his lawyer said, according to a report on Sunday.

According to the New York Post the R & B singer is holed up in a Cook County lockup in his native Chicago on $1 million ($A1.4 million) bond following his indictment Friday on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, WGN9 reported.

While Kelly is expected to post $100,000 ($A140,000) — or 10 per cent of the total — needed to walk free, his lawyer Steven Greenberg said he’s broke as a result of mismanagement and bad contracts.

“This is someone who should be wealthy,” Greenberg said on Saturday. “I don’t think he even owns the rights to ‘I Believe I Can Fly,’” the lawyer added, referring to Kelly’s 1996 hit single.

In January, the 52-year-old was dropped from Sony Music just after the Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” debuted. In the series, several women accused the star of sexual misconduct.

Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, is also facing jail time for being nearly $170,000 ($A240,000) behind on child support payments.

Kelly is accused of sexually abusing four victims dating as far back as 1998.

Three of the alleged victims are minors between the ages of 13 and 16 years old.

Another court appearance is scheduled for Monday.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and is republished with permission.