R Kelly formally pleads not guilty to bribery charges

Los Angeles: Singer R. Kelly has formally denied an accusation that he used bribery to obtain a fake ID for Aaliyah. He then entered a not guilty plea to the federal indictment against him brought by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.

He entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department added a charge of bribery against Kelly, accusing him of obtaining a false ID for an unidentified woman in 1994, reports cnn.com.

The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that Jane Doe was singer Aaliyah, who was 15 years old and whom Kelly married later that year.

The singer appeared in the Chicago courtroom with lawyer Steve Greenberg and spoke only

to greet the judge from the Eastern District of New York and to confirm he understood the superseding indictment.