Who is Trevian Kutti, the former R. Kelly, Ye publicist included in Trump’s indictment?
Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on August 15, 2023
(ATLANTA) — A publicist who previously represented controversial musicians R. Kelly and Ye has been indicted alongside former President Donald Trump and several of his allies for their alleged actions following the 2020 election.
Trevian Kutti, who has been a supporter of the former president, is accused of helping to conspire “to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump” alongside 18 others, according to the indictment against the defendants out of Fulton County, Georgia.
Kutti first garnered attention from investigators who were probing a Reuters report alleging Kutti had pressed an election worker to admit to election fraud claims or face consequences. A spokesperson for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, told Reuters in that report that Kutti was not associated with him at the times of her actions chronicled in the report.
Ye was also an acquaintance of Trump, with the two having met at least twice over the years including at the White House in 2018.
Like the other defendants in this case, Kutti is charged with violating Georgia RICO laws. She also faces charges of conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings, and charges of influencing witnesses.
The criminal complaint alleges that Kutti traveled from Chicago to Atlanta and attempted to contact Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County Election worker, in order to convince her to report election fraud claims in testimony.
She then went to Freeman’s house, but wasn’t able to speak to her. Kutti then allegedly spoke to Freeman’s neighbor, identifying herself as a crisis manager attempting to “help” Freeman, the criminal complaint says. She then placed a phone call to Freeman telling her that she was in danger, and that she could “help” her, asking to talk to Freeman at a police department precinct in Cobb County, according to the complaint.
Kutti and co-defendant Harrison William Prescott Floyd met with Freeman at the precinct for approximately one hour, prosecutors say. Kutti and Floyd allegedly tried to influence Freeman’s testimony during that meeting on what happened in State Farm Arena where Freeman was working on election night.
Kutti did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
In a statement to Chicago’s WBEZ about the charges, Kutti said she is “appalled at these accusations” and she is “simply being a crisis manager.”
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