Sean Kingston and his mother will now be fighting to prove if they are guilty or innocent. The rapper and his mom, Janice Turner, are now facing federal charges. Authorities arrested the mother-duo son in May after they raided Kingston’s home as part of a criminal investigation.
Now, months later, Kingston and Turner were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. A grand jury in Miami indicted the family duo and announced the charges on Friday. Federal prosecutors accused the pair of spearheading a fraudulent scheme where they swindled businesses out of valuables. Kingston and his mother allegedly acquired jewelry, luxury vehicles, and more by falsifying money transfer processes. They then kept the goods even when informed that the payment never went through.
The deceptive ploy allowed the twosome to gain personal property worth more than $1 million. The pair’s amassed valuables include Jewelry pieces worth $480,000 and a $160,000 Cadillac Escalade. TMZ reports that if Kingston and Janice are found guilty, they will face a maximum of 20 years per count.
The Reason Behind Sean Kingston’s Florida Home Raid
Kingston’s life began unfolding in late May when men of the Broward Sheriff’s Office stormed his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida. The team of SWAT police officers, detectives, and deputies executed a search warrant. They arrested his mother on “numerous fraud and theft charges.” A day later, authorities ambushed the Beautiful Girls singer in Fort Irwin, California, after a performance. He was later extradited to Florida.
The arrest is reportedly related to a February lawsuit against the artist. A company named Ver Ver Entertainment sued Kingston for failing to pay $150,000 for the sale and installation of a 232-inch TV. The lawyer for the prosecutors claimed a detective contacted him upon reading the case, kickstarting an investigation.