R. Kelly’s house in foreclosure after "pissing away" all his money.
Fujikawa Yamamoto
The Olympia Fields mansion of R&B artist R. Kelly is in foreclosure, with
J.P. Morgan Chase Bank alleging that the Grammy winner owes it more than
$2.9 million.
The 11,140-square-foot home at 1 Maros Lane — the street so named for the
prior owner, who owned several Southland McDonald’s restaurants — boasts
six full bathrooms, seven half-baths and two fireplaces, according to the
Cook County assessor’s office. There’s also a four-car garage, and the
house sits behind an imposing iron fence in the tony Maynegaite Woods
subdivision.
In March 1999, J.P. Morgan gave Robert S. Kelly a $3.5 million mortgage,
and in a court filing last month the bank said it’s still owed more than
$2.9 million. A spokeswoman for the bank said it would not comment on the
foreclosure filing.
Through a firm in Oak Brook, Kelly last year paid more than $170,000 in
property tax on the house but owes more than $100,000 in back tax,
according to the county treasurer’s office.
A source said Kelly hadn’t made a mortgage payment on the home in “a
significant time.”
The home’s value has plunged as the real estate market has soured. In
2009, the county assessor said the house was worth $5.16 million but that
fell to $3.8 million last year.
Kelly’s spokesman, Allan Mayer, wouldn’t comment on the foreclosure but
told The Associated Press that Kelly isn’t having financial trouble. Mayer
said the singer now lives in Chicago and that Kelly’s recent tour and 2010
album, “Love Letter,” have been successful.
Kelly’s major hits have included “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition.” In
2008, he was acquitted of child pornography charges.
The house was built by James and Bess Maros, who were among the first 50
McDonald’s franchisees selected by company founder Ray Kroc.
The Maroses built a 15,000-square-foot house, complete with a McDonald’s-
style fry station. They had owned 10 McDonald’s outlets in the Southland,
and locals dubbed the house as the “McDonald’s Mansion” or “Maros
Mansion.”
Kelly paid $1.5 million for the property and demolished the house to build
a new home. Bess Maros was “heartbroken” to learn that Kelly had torn down
the home, Maros’ daughter told the Sun-Times last year after her mother’s
death.
http://www.dyfuse.com/?q=node/4509
R. Kelly's Pee Trial Is Really Starting to Burn...LOL!
It is finally getting down to some crazy testimony. MTV reported that
friends and family of the girl who was allegedly filmed peeing on and
getting sprinkled on back by R. Kelly, took that stand and explained how
they were able to identify the minor and Kells. The most damaging evidence
came when the girl's best friend described how R. Kelly was the minor's
Godfather and how she witnessed him handing her over cash. She also
recounted how she was able to identify R. Kelly and the girl on the tape.
Through her best friend, Jamison said, she also met R. Kelly (godfather to
the girl allegedly in the video). The two girls often went places where
Kelly played basketball (at a gym called Hoops) and recorded music (at a
studio called Trax), as well as his home, including a sauna room known as
the "Colorado Room." Frequently, when her friend visited her godfather,
Jamison testified, she saw him give her money: "no less than 100 and no
more than 500 [dollars]." The exact amount was disputed on cross-
examination.
During Jamison's junior year of high school, she said she saw a sex tape
at a friend's home, and recognized the two individuals on the tape. "I
thought she looked just like my best friend ... (and) her godfather R.
Kelly."
Jamison said she was able to identify her friend by her face and her
hairstyle, since they had both gotten the same cut going into their
freshman year: a mullet, "short at the top, long at the back." Jamison
said they were 13 or 14 at the time.
