Hi there, a warning before we get started, today's episode is about sexual abuse.

This is in conversation from Apple News.

I'm Shimita Basu.

Today, how R Kelly got away with sexually abusing children

for decades. Let's go back to the year 2000. It's the day before Thanksgiving. A journalist named Jim De Regadis heads into the newsroom to take

care of a few things before the holiday weekend.

I only went to the office once a week to pick up my mail, file my expenses, and get the hell out,

before they could tell me,

You know, Sticks is playing at the Star Plaza Casino.

We haven't written about them in a long time.

Jim was the longtime music critic for the Chicago Sun Times.

Roger Ebert did movies, I did music.

And when he got into the newsroom that day,

there was a tip from a reader waiting for him.

I got a fax anonymously. That's how long ago the technology

was still faxes and it said dear Mr dear goddess you reviewed R Kelly's newest

album and you compared him to Marvin gay.

Marvin had his problems but Roberts are different.

Robert's problem is young girls.

Robert is Robert Sylvester Kelly, R Kelly. Jim thinks this is probably just some hate mail and he goes home for the long weekend. But that facts, it kind of starts to nod at him.

Because there was a level of specificity.

There was mention of a lawsuit that had been filed but never reported

...