R. Kelly's Infamous "Chocolate Factory" Mansion — Which He Lost To Foreclosure — Just Sold At A Steep Discount

Former R&B superstar R. Kelly currently resides in a 6×8-foot cell at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina, a medium-security prison just north of Raleigh-Durham. He's been there since April 2023, sharing the same facility where Bernie Madoff and Ted Kaczynski both died. For a man who once lived in mansions with dozens of rooms, Kelly's current accommodations represent the most dramatic of downfalls.

One of those mansions—the one R. Kelly proudly dubbed "The Chocolate Factory"—has just sold again, this time for a fraction of its asking price. The 21,000-square-foot Illinois estate, which Kelly lost to foreclosure in 2013, recently changed hands for $1.6 million, less than half of its $3.5 million listing price.

"The Chocolate Factory"

R. Kelly bought the four-acre Olympia Fields property in April 1997 for $1.5 million. He spent years customizing it into a sprawling, 21,000-square-foot palace with seven bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, and an indoor pool so bizarre that it has to be seen to be believed. The "tropical" pool room features a grotto, a two-story treehouse, a waterfall, a hot tub, and a clubhouse—an aesthetic that feels more theme park than luxury home.

Elsewhere, the property includes a basketball court, a 1950s diner-style kitchen in the basement, a billiards room, a gym, and a library. During Kelly's ownership, the home became infamous as both a recording space and, later, a symbol of his alleged control and abuse. Neighbors even sued him in 2007 for parking his tour bus illegally, building a guardhouse without a permit, and breeding dogs on-site.

Foreclosure And The Isley Brothers Restoration

At the height of his fame, Kelly carried a nearly $3 million mortgage with JPMorgan Chase connected to his Chocolate Factory. In 2011, after reportedly missing payments for a year, the bank began foreclosure proceedings. The mansion went to auction in March 2013, with JPMorgan bidding $950,000. Eight months later, the bank finally offloaded the foreclosed property for just $587,500.

The buyer turned out to be fellow R&B legend Rudolph Isley of the Isley Brothers and his wife, Elaine. The Isleys spent the next decade restoring the massive home, which had suffered flood damage, mold, and structural decay. They rebranded it "The Isley Estate" and transformed it into a livable, if eccentric, showpiece—complete with a Chicago Bulls–themed bedroom and an upgraded version of the infamous indoor pool.

Rudolph died in October 2023. Following his death, Elaine listed the property for $3.49 million in June 2024. The property just sold, but not for anywhere near $3.49 million. The Chocolate Factory/Isley Estate sold for $1.6 million—about 46% below its asking price and barely above its foreclosure value from more than a decade earlier. Here is a video tour from when the estate was listed in June 2024:

A Long Way From Fame & Fortune

R. Kelly's journey from platinum-selling, extremely rich artist to convicted criminal remains one of music's most dramatic collapses.

At the height of his fame, when he owned the above mansion, R. Kelly's net worth was around $40 million. Had he never gotten into trouble, thanks to his songwriting credits and more than 75 million albums sold, today he almost certainly would be worth $100–150 million.

That's not the way life unfolded. R. Kelly was taken into custody in July 2019 and, following trials in New York and Chicago, was sentenced in 2021 to 31 years in federal prison for a slew of charges. During the trial, Kelly's legal team revealed that he is "functionally illiterate," with reading and writing skills equivalent to a first grader. As a result, he was "repeatedly defrauded and financially abused" by his business managers throughout his career. He reportedly believed he was worth $900 million simply because someone told him that. In reality, R. Kelly's finances are completely upside down thanks to legal fees, judgments, and lack of income.

Today, we estimate his net worth to be negative $2 million.

The sale of his onetime "Chocolate Factory" mansion—once a symbol of his wealth and excess—at such a steep discount serves as a fitting metaphor for how far his empire has fallen.