CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Singer and convicted sex offender R Kelly is suing the Federal Bureau of Prisons for allegedly providing YouTube vlogger Tasha K access to personal details concerning his confinement.
The contentious media personality first came to the attention of the public when she made unfounded claims about Cardi B on YouTube and the subsequent lawsuit filed by the singer.
According to HuffPost, 56-year-old Kelly is alleging, among other things, negligence, invasion of privacy, and purposeful infliction of emotional distress.
Kelly was found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering and given a 30-year sentence to serve in federal prison in February 2023, as per Daily Mail.
Tasha K runs celebrity gossip YouTube channel 'UnWinewithTashaK'
Media personality Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, is well-known for her contentious YouTube videos and outspokenness.
Her YouTube channel, 'UnwineWithTashaK,' helped her become popular as she shared behind-the-scenes looks at the entertainment world and talked about celebrity rumors.
She gained a sizable following owing to her candid reporting style, but it also got her into legal issues.
Tasha K is married to Cheickna H Kebe, with whom she purportedly has two kids.
Recently, Tasha K was involved in a feud with rappers Sexyy Redd and Sukihana. She also exchanged words with popular media figure Akademiks.
Cardi B successfully sued Tasha K for defamation
Tasha K was sued by Cardi B for defamation in 2019. The singer won the case in 2022, with a federal jury ordering Tasha K to pay Cardi $4 million in damages and legal fees. Tasha K has since filed for bankruptcy, as per INSIDER.
On her YouTube channel, Tasha K made several claims about Cardi that she supported with evidence.
The rapper was accused of drug use, involvement in illicit activities, and having a sexually transmitted infection by the YouTuber.
She made these claims in a number of YouTube videos, claiming to have firsthand knowledge of the rapper's private life. The videos went viral, damaging Cardi B's reputation and sparking a media frenzy.
Cardi B sued Tasha K in reaction to her false accusations. The complaint included a claim of defamation because Tasha K's accusations were unfounded and damaging. Cardi B aimed to safeguard her image and reputation.
What does R Kelly's complaint claim?
In the 28-page complaint that R Kelly filed with the US District Court in Chicago — a copy obtained by HuffPost — he claimed several Prison Bureau officials improperly accessed his data.
He alleges that Tasha K received access to his prison documents through a former prison guard.
Kelly filed the lawsuit in response to his convictions in 2021 and 2022 for counts including child pornography, sex trafficking, and racketeering. He is requesting a jury trial in this new action.
According to an investigation conducted by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, the lawsuit states that "at least 60 BOP officers made unauthorized access to plaintiff’s sensitive, confidential, and private information maintained by the BOP."
It further states that Officer A gained unauthorized access to Kelly's data more than 150 times, including emails, phone conversations, and visitor visits.
Officer A then forwarded some of the records to herself before giving them to Tasha K. According to the lawsuit, Officer A broke the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
The complaint further states that Tasha K "rallied her massive following to harass the plaintiff with the use of the stolen information and created chaos in the plaintiff's personal life."
Kelly's lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, told ABC7 Chicago that Kelly's communication style has been impacted by the officers' purported infractions.
"He had every right to be able to be confident, to think the BOP would protect his information and not exploit, but unfortunately, certain BOP officers did just that," Bonjean added.
"He does not feel comfortable to this day talking to anyone, even his own lawyers, because of the impact of this event," the statement reads.
Kelly's lawyers told HuffPost in a statement that the lawsuit was required to bring Kelly to justice because the Department of Justice's inquiry did not result in any charges being brought against individuals who were allegedly involved in the misbehavior.
