After being charged on allegations of fraud amounting to over $1 million, Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, entered a not-guilty plea to all counts.
On Monday, August 26, 2024, Kingston and Turner pleaded not guilty to fraud allegations during their hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Subsequently, Kingston and Turner’s legal team requested a jury trial and discovery from the state during the arraignment.
The news, which The Sun Sentinel first reported, stated that Judge Kollra did not change the previously set bond of $90,000. According to Robert Rosenblatt, one of Kingston’s attorneys, “Once the true facts come out, we are confident of vindication.”
After the arrest, questions like “Why did Sean Kingston get arrested?” kept recurring from fans of the singer; here’s all we know.
Sean Kingston and His Mother Accused of Wire Fraud
In July 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern Florida announced charges against Kingston and Turner for wire fraud conspiracy and related offences. According to the press statement, Sean Kingston and his mother were involved in a scheme to defraud people using fraudulent documents.
The press statement also revealed that if Kingston and his mother are found guilty, they will be facing at least 20 years in prison on each count. The department claimed the duo falsely represented executing payment transfers that the banks never did.
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According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kingston and Turner defrauded over $1 million in property through this scheme. While Sean Kingston was arrested in California on May 23 at the mansion he was renting, his mother was arrested in Florida on the same day.
Details of Sean Kingston and His Mother’s Dubious Acts
Following arrest warrants released by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Sean Kingston was arrested on fraud and identity theft charges. Authorities charged him with four counts of criminal use of personal identification information and two counts of grand theft greater than $100,000.
Additionally, he was charged with one count of grand theft greater than $20,000, one count of fraud, and violating his probation. According to Sean Kingston’s arrest warrant, the duo allegedly took about $500,000 in jewels, $160,000 from an Escalade dealer, $86,000 from a manufacturer of personalized beds, and other items.
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Sean Kingston Raid Came After a February Lawsuit
The Florida raid came after a lawsuit between Ver Ver Entertainment and the singer over unpaid purchases. In February 2024, Ver Ver Entertainment filed a lawsuit in Kingston alleging unpaid purchases by the singer. According to the lawsuit, Kingston gave the business several misleading representations.
Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that he was currently and continuously in collaboration with artist Justin Bieber. In January 2024, he made several attempts to collect money but allegedly broke the contract by not paying as agreed.
According to Ver Ver Entertainment, in 2015, Kingston was found guilty of receiving watches valued at $356,000 without payment. He also reportedly got jewelry and watches worth $1 million without payment, resulting in judgments in 2016 and 2022 totaling $301,500.
Attorney Dennis Card said, “I filed a lawsuit against Sean Kingston. A detective in Broward County read my lawsuit and contacted me, and so we went down and gave, with my client, a recorded statement and an affidavit.”
Sean Kingston’s Arrest Happened Hours After His Mom’s
After the raid, Sean Kingston’s mom was taken into custody in Florida. However, he was in California for a performance. Notably, Kingston had already served two years on probation for trafficking in stolen goods before his arrest.
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Sean Kingston’s mother faces prosecution for eight charges, including organized fraud, theft over $100,000, and identity theft. Turner was arrested for fraud and theft at a Southwest residence by the Broward Sheriff’s Office during an ongoing investigation.
Before Sean Kingston’s arrest, the singer took to his Instagram account to share a write-up that was posted on his story. He wrote, “People love negative energy! I am good, and so is my mother. My lawyers are handling everything as we speak.”
While the dust on Sean Kingston’s fraud charges seems to have settled, fans hope the singer will not have another run-in with the law.
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