Renowned Jamaican-American artist, Sean Kingston, and his mother, Janice Turner, aged 62, have been detained on charges of fraud and theft.
The rapper, whose birth name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother were taken into custody in California on Thursday. This occurred shortly after a SWAT team conducted a raid on his leased mansion in South Florida. Authorities were spotted removing items from the mansion, which is surrounded by high-end sports cars.
The detentions might be linked to a lawsuit lodged by lawyer Dennis Card, who claims fraud relating to the installation of a 232-inch television valued at $150,000. Card alleges that Kingston defrauded Ver Ver Entertainment in February by not fulfilling promised payments and commercials. The company is seeking $30,000 and legal fees in a jury trial.
Card, representing the company, stated, “He essentially has a sales pitch that he uses to deceive people. He persuades them to give him very costly items.” He added, “We are aware that our property is inside this house, so as soon as the raid is conducted, we will have a team ready to reassemble it and return it to its rightful owner.”
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office announced that Kingston was apprehended in Fort Irwin, California, and will be incarcerated in San Bernardino. The Sheriff’s Office revealed that it executed arrest and search warrants at the property near Fort Lauderdale, where the singer lives. The statement read, “As a result of the investigation, an adult female, Janice Turner, was taken into custody on multiple fraud and theft charges. The investigation is active and ongoing.”
In a previous Instagram post, Kingston assured his followers that his lawyers were “handling everything”. He wrote, “People love negative energy! I am good, and so is my mother! … My lawyers are handling everything as we speak.” The post has since been removed.
Records from the Florida Department of Corrections show that Kingston is currently serving a two-year probation for trafficking stolen property. His mother had previously served time for bank fraud in 2006. Kingston will remain in California until he is extradited to Florida.
Kingston is most recognized for his 2007 chart-topping song ‘Beautiful Girls’, another hit ‘Take You There’, and his collaboration with Justin Bieber on the song ‘Eenie Meenie.