Sean Kingston, the singer known for his hit “Beautiful Girls,” is in hot water. He and his mother, Janice Turner, have been charged with a massive fraud scheme in South Florida. Prosecutors say they tricked people out of more than $1 million worth of luxury items.
Sean Kingston, 34, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, appeared in federal court alongside his 61-year-old mother. A grand jury indicted them on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.
The alleged scheme was surprisingly brazen. According to prosecutors, Kingston and Turner would promise to pay for expensive items with bank transfers. But here’s the catch – they never actually sent the money. Instead, they kept the goods without paying a dime.
Dennis Card, a lawyer suing Kingston in a separate case, shed light on the singer’s tactics when speaking to NBC 6 Miami:
“He’s got basically a script. He says that he works with Justin Bieber… and he lures people using his celebrity into having them release things without him paying for it and then he simply never pays.”
The list of allegedly stolen items is staggering. It includes nearly $500,000 in jewelry, money from banks and car dealers, and even an $86,000 custom-made bed. The fraud reportedly took place over several months, affecting multiple businesses and financial institutions.
Law enforcement arrested Sean Kingston at an Army base in California where he was set to perform. Meanwhile, a SWAT team raided his rented mansion in Florida, where they nabbed his mother.
This isn’t the duo’s first brush with the law. Kingston is already on probation for trafficking stolen property, while his mother previously served time for bank fraud.
The charges they now face are serious. Each count carries a potential 20-year prison sentence. For now, Kingston and Turner are out on bond – $10,000 for him and $5,000 for her. Their next court date is set for August 9.
