Sources: New inquiry into claim of R. Kelly witness payoff

Woman said she was paid $100,000 for tape

By Kayce T. Ataiyero and Stacy St. Clair | Tribune reporters

12:02 AM EDT, June 20, 2008

Law-enforcement officials plan to look into allegations that an associate of R. Kelly paid off a woman who claimed to have evidence of a sexual relationship between the R&B superstar and his then-underage goddaughter, sources say.

The inquiry stems from accusations made by Lisa Van Allen, the controversial prosecution witness who testified she had three-way sex with Kelly and the alleged victim at the center of his recent child pornography trial. Kelly was acquitted last week on all 14 counts by a Cook County jury.

Van Allen told prosecutors that an associate of the Grammy winner gave her $100,000 cash in 2007 for a videotape of the illicit encounter and forced her to tell one of the singer's attorneys that she never had sex with the girl.

Assistant State's Atty. Shauna Boliker, who led the case against Kelly, cited an office policy that prohibits prosecutors from commenting on cases unless charges have been filed. However, she said the attorney with whom Van Allen spoke is not under investigation.

Sources said authorities will focus on whether the Kelly associate bought the tape and concealed it. The evidence could have bolstered the prosecution's case against the singer.

Though Van Allen testified about a payoff this month, newly unsealed court documents and transcripts from closed-door hearings in the weeks before trial suggest that the alleged scheme was far more elaborate than later detailed in court.

The Kelly associate has denied any wrongdoing.

"All of these allegations, or at least most of them, were aired in court and the jury found them to be uncredible," said Allan Mayer, a spokesman for Kelly. "There's no reason to believe now that they have any more credibility."

In acquitting Kelly on charges that he filmed himself engaging in a variety of sex acts with an underage girl, the jury said it largely discounted Van Allen's testimony because of her history of romantic relationships with convicted felons.

One of Kelly's attorneys, Sam Adam Jr., said any investigation would suggest that the state's attorney's office is smarting over a tough courtroom loss.

"If there ever was a case of sour grapes because of a loss," this is it, said Adam, who is not the lawyer who spoke with Van Allen. "The state's attorney's office here would make Julio Gallo impressed with their whining."

kataiyero@tribune.com

sstclair@tribune.com