In a recent court decision, R. Kelly's attempt to appeal his sex trafficking convictions failed, with judges affirming the verdict but noting an error in the restitution award linked to herpes medication costs.

The federal appeals court rejected most of R. Kelly's arguments to overturn his racketeering and sex trafficking convictions, sustaining the majority of the 2021 verdict. The court upheld his guilty verdict on nine charges, which included racketeering and violations of the Mann Act. Evidence presented by prosecutors showed that R. Kelly exploited young women and girls over a period of more than twenty years by leveraging his celebrity status.

R. Kelly's legal team raised various challenges to the verdict, claiming lack of evidence, biased jurors, and inadequate defense during jury selection, among other issues. However, the appeals court panel dismissed these challenges. The court also rejected claims of juror misconduct and ineffective counsel.

Although the court upheld most aspects of the conviction, Judge Richard Sullivan dissented on the restitution amount awarded to a victim known as Jane, who contracted herpes from R. Kelly. The court calculated Jane's restitution based on the cost of brand-name Valtrex, which Judge Sullivan argued was excessive compared to the generic version, valacyclovir, which costs significantly less. He suggested reconsidering the restitution amount for Jane to ensure fairness.

During the trial, multiple victims, including Jane, Stephanie, and the late Aaliyah, provided harrowing testimonies about their experiences with R. Kelly. Prosecutors revealed that Kelly's associates aided in recruiting and grooming victims, enabling his abusive behavior. R. Kelly continues to serve his 30-year prison sentence following his 2021 conviction in New York. The recent court decision upholds his conviction, pending a potential revision of the restitution amount for Jane.