Sean Kingston, the well-known singer of “Beautiful Girls,” and his mother, Janice Turner, are facing federal charges for allegedly defrauding businesses of over $1 million.
Federal prosecutors announced that a Grand Jury in Miami indicted Kingston and Turner on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. The charges stem from allegations that the duo orchestrated a scheme to defraud businesses by acquiring jewelry, luxury vehicles, and other high-end goods without making proper payments.
According to the indictment, Kingston and his mother falsely claimed to have sent money transfers to pay for the goods. Despite the payments never going through, they retained possession of the items. Among the fraudulent acquisitions were a $160,000 Cadillac Escalade and $480,000 worth of jewelry.
The alleged fraud resulted in Kingston and Turner unjustly enriching themselves by more than $1 million. The duo was arrested in May following a raid on Kingston’s mansion in Florida and made their first appearance in federal court on Friday, July 19.
If convicted, Kingston and Turner face severe penalties, with each of the six counts carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Sean Kingston’s attorney, Robert Rosenblatt, told TMZ that they are prepared to litigate the case in federal court and are confident of a favorable outcome.