Lifetime Plots Jeffrey Epstein Docuseries, ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Follow-Up

Lifetime is prepping a new docuseries about convicted sexual predator and wealthy hedge fund manager, Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a follow-up to its bombshell docuseries Surviving R. Kelly.

A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow announced the two series at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Tuesday. Sharenow offered a few details about each series, though he did not say when either of them would premiere, Variety reports.

Surviving Jeffrey Epstein will offer a deep dive into Epstein’s story in the wake of his recent arrest on sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy charges. Prosecutors allege that between 2002 and 2005, Epstein abused “dozens” of girls as young as 14 at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, while he’s also alleged to have paid girls to give him semi-nude massages, perform other sex acts and recruit other girls to visit his home. Epstein is currently being held without bail as he awaits trial.

Along with his recent arrest, Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from underage girls and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, though he only served 13 months and spent much of that time at his office in Florida under supervised work release. Adding to the intrigue around Epstein are questions regarding how exactly he made his millions, as well as his myriad relationships with people in high society, including Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

As for Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly follow-up, the four-part series, titled The Aftermath, will be centered around interviews with new survivors, as well as psychologists and experts on the Kelly case (in May, the network chronicled the immediate aftermath of Surviving R. Kelly in a two-hour special, The Impact). Much of the team behind Surviving R. Kelly will return for The Aftermath, including executive producers dream hampton, Tamra Simmons, Jessie Daniels and Joel Karsberg. Sudi Khosropur will serve as co-executive producer and showrunner for The Aftermath.

Surviving R. Kelly was a hit for Lifetime when it premiere in January and the docu-series recently picked up an Emmy nomination for Best Informational Series or Special. The series also prompted not just a major cultural backlash against Kelly, but several new criminal investigations that led to his recent indictment in Chicago on multiple charges related to child pornography and criminal sexual activity (the singer has pleaded not guilty). Kelly, who is being held in prison with no bond in Chicago, will also be brought to New York in August for his arraignment on racketeering and conspiracy charges.

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