NEW YORK - R&B singer R. Kelly was denied bail after pleading not guilty in Brooklyn federal court Friday where he was due to make a second appearance later in the day.
Kelly was arraigned on charges he sexually abused women and girls.
He appeared sullen as prosecutors told Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione he posed a flight risk and a danger to public safety.
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Kelly, is accused of using his fame to recruit young women and girls into having illegal sexual activity. Prosecutors say he isolated them from friends and family and demanded they call him "Daddy."
The hearings follow his arrest last month in a separate Chicago case accusing him of engaging in child pornography.
Kelly, 52, is charged in New York with exploiting five victims, identified only as "Jane Does."
According to court papers, they include one he met at one of his concerts and another at a radio station where she was an intern.
The papers allege that Kelly arranged for some the victims to meet him on the road for illegal sex.
He had one victim travel in 2017 to a show on Long Island, where he had unprotected sex with her without telling her "he had contracted an infectious venereal disease" in violation of New York law, they say.
Defense papers label his accusers "disgruntled groupies."
The alleged victims "sought out Robert's attention, even fought each other for it, voluntarily contacted him, came to his shows, pined to be with him," the defense papers say.
"Robert would spend his time and even become friends with and care about these groupies and fans who were dying to be with him."