In an unexpected about-face, R. Kelly’s girlfriend, Jocelyn Savage, claimed that she was “hacked†when she posted on a Patreon account under her name that she was a victim of R. Kelly’s “sexual and psychological abuse.†On Wednesday night, the 23-year-old Savage posted a video claiming that she had nothing to do with the Patreon account, and that she is still romantically linked to the R&B singer with an infected toe. “That is not my Instagram. Someone impersonated me,†reads Savage off of an iPhone to the camera. She continues, “I just want everyone to know, we still support him and we will never betray him.†According to the video, Savage and R. Kelly talk to one another every day.
R. Kelly is currently facing a 13 count indictment in Illinois federal court for child porn, enticement of a minor, and ten separate charges of aggravated sexual abuse as well as five more federal charges and two new charges in Minnesota. On November 24, a Patreon account associated with Savage claimed that she was “a victim†of R. Kelly’s and that she was “risking her life†to speak out against him. Now, however, Savage claims that was all a hoax. On November 26, Patreon deleted Savage’s page, claiming that they were unable to verify her identity.
The Savage family via their lawyer, Gerald Griggs, has said that they are “saddened and disappointed to learn that Joycelyn Savage has said that she was not the person operating the Patreon account.†Griggs goes on to say on behalf of the family that “we deeply desired to hear her story and in her own voice outside of the presence of Robert Sylvester Kelly or anyone associated with him. For nearly three years, Joycelyn Savage has not been able to speak outside of a controlled environment created by Mr. Kelly. Her video today was not any different.â€
In the video, Savage thanks the people who have stood by R. Kelly: “We have a bond that is so special … that no one can ever break … I would never in a million years — I would never in a million years hurt him like that — I would never do that.â€