Nicki Minaj‘s brother, Jelani Maraj has been found guilty of repeatedly raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter while her mother was at work.
The 38-year-old was convicted of predatory sexual assault on a child – a felony – and endangering the welfare of a child.
He faces up to life in prison, but Maraj’s lawyer says he plans to appeal.
According to Newsday, at the conclusion of the trial on Thursday, Maraj was led out of Nassau County Court in handcuffs and was taken to the county jail, where the presiding judge ordered him held without bail pending his sentencing hearing.
Maraj’s lawyers said during a nearly one-month trial that the rape allegations were concocted by the girl’s mother as part of a scheme to get Nicki Minaj to pay the family $25million in hush money.
In closing arguments Monday, Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Emma Slane called that claim ‘absolute absurdity.’
The girl, now 14, testified in excruciating detail about sexual assaults that she said occurred as frequently as four times a week and sometimes twice a day, mostly when Maraj was home alone with the girl.
The prosecutor said DNA evidence recovered from the girl’s pajama pants was linked to Maraj. The girl’s younger brother also testified at the trial that he witnessed one assault.
