R. Kelly has been granted release from jail today (March 9) after paying over $160,000 in back child support fees, the Chicago Tribune reports and representatives for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Pitchfork.

Earlier today, Chicago Tribune reporter Megan Crepeau confirmed in a tweet that Kelly had paid six figures in back child support and would be released within the following hour or so. A Cook County Sheriff’s Office representative later confirmed to Pitchfork that the civil contempt purge had been paid and that Kelly is no longer in police custody. According to the Chicago Tribune, who spoke with chief policy officer Cara Smith at Cook County Sheriff’s Office, a check for the full amount of Kelly’s back child support had been handed over to the Circuit Court Clerk’s office. However, a copy of the bond slip did not show who posted the $161,663 owed by Kelly. Smith reportedly said that the individual wished to remain anonymous. Kelly’s next court date is March 13.

Kelly was taken into custody by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office on March 6 during a hearing over his unpaid child support. Kelly reportedly owed over $200,000 in back child support to his ex-wife Andrea Kelly, and was told he would face jail time if he failed to pay $161,633 of that amount.

On February 22, Kelly turned himself in to authorities in Chicago after being charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. On February 25, Kelly was released from jail on $100,000 bail—10 percent of the $1 million bond set by the judge. Kelly pled not guilty to all 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, which stem from charges involving four women (three of whom were underage) who prosecutors say Kelly abused during the period of 1998 to 2010.

Earlier this week, Kelly appeared on “CBS This Morning,” where he spoke with Gayle King. The appearance marked Kelly’s first interview since being arrested on charges of sexual abuse. He denied all allegations of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse levied against him.

Pitchfork has reached out to R. Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg for further comment.

Read “The Struggle to Silence R. Kelly” on the Pitch.

This article was originally published on Saturday, March 9 at 1:14 p.m. Eastern. It was last updated on March 9 at 2:57 p.m. Eastern.

https://pitchfork.com/news/r-kelly-released-from-jail-after-paying-over-dollar160000-in-back-child-support