Nelly was arrested and questioned for second-degree rape after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on his tour bus early Saturday morning, TMZ reports.
The victim told police she was raped on the 42-year-old rapper’s bus in Auburn, Wash. Nelly was arrested around 7 a.m.
Nelly took to Twitter to issue a statement to the alleged crime.
Nelly told fans he was “beyond shocked” and “completely innocent” in regard to the rape allegations.
“I am confident that once the facts are looked at, it will be very clear that I am the victim of a false allegation,” he wrote.
He continued, “I do want to apologize to my loved ones for the embarrassment and for putting myself in a situation where I could be victimized by this false and defaming allegation.”
Nelly then thanked his fans “for their unwavering support,” writing, “They know me. I assure you I will be vindicated. And I assure you, I will pursue every legal option to address this defaming claim. Thank you.”
Nelly made a point to say he was not officially charged, writing, “To be absolutely clear. I have not been charged with a crime therefore no bail was required. I was released, pending further investigation.”
Nelly’s lawyer Scott Rosenblum issued a statement to the TMZ regarding the sexual assault allegations.
“Nelly is the victim of a completely fabricated allegation. Our initial investigation, clearly establishes the allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness,” he said. “I am confident, once the scurrilous accusation is thoroughly investigated, there will be no charges. Nelly is prepared to pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation.”
