Sean Kingston, mother face federal charges in $1M fraud scheme: Trial date set for 2025

Milena Malaver
·2 min read

Reggae artist Sean Kingston and his mother are scheduled to stand trial next year on federal charges of defrauding multiple businesses of more than $1 million.

Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and Janice Turner appeared in federal court Thursday morning in Fort Lauderdale, where a judge set the trial date for March 24, 2025, according to Kingston’s attorney Robert Rosenblatt.

“We’re happy with Judge Liebowitz, he gave us more time than we requested for discovery and for the trial date,” Rosenblatt told the Herald on Thursday. “We remain confident that Mr. Kingston will be exonerated of these charges.”

On July 11, they were indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud, according to district court records. The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges in state court Monday.

Sean Kingston’s Southwest Ranches home is shown during a raid by the Broward Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, May 23, 2024. A woman named Janice Turner, 61, was arrested on “numerous fraud and theft charges,” during the raid at the sprawling white mansion in the 4600 block of Southwest 178th Avenue, spokesperson Carey Codd said in a media release. Turner is Kingston’s mother, according to reports. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Back on May 23, Kingston’s seven-bedroom mansion was raided by Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives and Davie police SWAT. Search and arrest warrants were executed for the property. Turner was arrested during the raid; Kingston, too, was arrested in California that same day.

Kingston and Turner orchestrated a lucrative wire fraud scheme from April 2023 to March 2024, the indictment alleges. They are accused of falsely representing that they had made legitimate bank wire transfers for vehicles, jewelry and other goods. Instead, the wire transfers were fraudulent, resulting in the businesses providing the goods without receiving payment.

Among their alleged fraudulent transactions were $480,000 for two watches, $285,000 for another watch, and $159,702.78 for a car, totaling $1,017,702.78 in goods obtained through deceit.

Kingston and Turner are scheduled to return to state court October 11.

“He’s hoping to be acquitted and go about his ability to perform for his fans. He’s performing now. He’s doing well,” said Rosenblatt.

Kingston is set to headline the Landslide Festival in Utah on Aug. 31.

Miami Herald reporter Devoun Cetoute contributed to this report.

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