R. Kelly has hired Bill Cosby’s former lawyer Monique Pressley in the wake of a new report that claims he is holding women against their will in a “cult,” according to the Daily Mail.
Pressley was a member of Cosby’s defense team until she stepped down in August. She was known for defending her client on television in the wake of sexual assault allegations.
At press time, Pressley and Kelly have not confirmed the news.
A week ago, R. Kelly was accused of abusing women in a cult as part of an investigative report by BuzzFeed News, which cites interviews with former members of the singer’s inner circle. Through his attorney Lina Mensch, Kelly denied these allegations.
“Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations attributed to him,” said Mensch. “Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name.”
Joycelyn Savage, one of the women who is reportedly being held against her will, has also denied the allegations. “I mainly want to say that I’m in a happy place with my life,” she told TMZ. “I’m not being brainwashed or anything like that. It just came to a point where it’s definitely gotten out of hand. I just want everybody to know — my parents and everybody in the world — that I am totally fine. Everything is okay with me.”
“I’ve never been feeling hostage or anything like that, in that nature,” she added. “Never.”