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Patreon shuts down account claiming to be set up by R Kelly girlfriend
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 28 November 2019
Patreon has shut down a profile claiming to feature posts written by R Kelly’s girlfriend Joycelyn Savage after the website confirmed it had failed to verify the account holder’s identity. It has said that anyone who paid to access posts on the profile will be refunded.
“After multiple unsuccessful attempts to verify the identity of the account holder, we closed the Patreon page allegedly associated with Joycelyn Savage due to potential impersonation”, says Patreon. “All patrons who signed up for the membership page were refunded and the creator did not receive any funds”.
The profile gained quick attention when it appeared over the weekend because it seemingly saw Savage accusing Kelly of psychological and sexual abuse. Savage has previously defended Kelly in interviews.
The validity of the Patreon profile was given a boost when Kelly’s own attorney, Steve Greenberg, said in a statement that it was “unfortunate that Jocelyn now seeks to make money by exploiting her long time, loving relationship with Robert”, adding that “it was not until the money ran out that she decided anything was wrong”.
In a new statement, an attorney for Savage’s family, Gerald Griggs, said that some things written in the posts tallied with information uncovered in their own investigations. To that end he called on police to investigate whether or not she was actually behind the Patreon account.
“The recent statement from Patreon underscores the family concern for the safety of their daughter Joycelyn”, he said. “Numerous allegations made by the account were alarming and confirmed details from our independent investigation, [though] we also unsuccessfully reached out to the account”.
He went on: “With the potential dangers facing Joycelyn and her safety, we are asking for law enforcement to get involved in determining where Joycelyn is and whom is really behind the account that detailed potential crimes”.
Kelly, of course, is currently awaited trial on numerous charges of sexual abuse against women and girls. He denies all the allegations made against him, including the new claims that may or may not have come from Savage.
