A federal grand jury in Miami charged rapper Sean Kingston and his mother each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud, according to an indictment filed last week and announced Friday in a news release from the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida. According to the indictment, Sean Kingston and his mother obtained more than $1 million in property through their alleged scheme. Prosecutors claim he often used his celebrity status to persuade vendors to “stray from their regular business practices” and provide high-end cars, jewellery and other expensive items “prior to receipt of full payment”.
The pair are also accused of using fraudulent documents to show they initiated payment to vendors when no payment had been made. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison on each count, the release said. Sean Kingston, 34, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother, Janice Turner, 61, were arrested in May on fraud and theft-related charges after a SWAT team raided his home.
It was part of an investigation into allegations they acquired luxury items without paying for them in full. “We look forward to litigating this case and defending Sean in federal court,” Sean Kingston’s attorney Robert Rosenblatt told CNN when the news agency made contact for comment. The wire fraud incidents took place between April 11, 2023 and March 29, 2024, the indictment alleges.
On Friday, Kingston was released on a US$10,000 cash bond and Turner was released on US$5,000 cash bond, according to court documents. Their next court appearance is set for August 9. “We intend to vigorously defend these charges,” Turner’s attorney James Stark told CNN.
“We hope that everyone keeps in mind that, just like every other citizen charged with a crime in our country, they are presumed innocent.”.
