Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, have both pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding several businesses of over $1 million.
Kingston, whose real name is Kiesan Anderson, and Turner entered their pleas during a court appearance before Judge Ernest Kollra in Broward County.
The charges against them include organized fraud and grand theft.
Kingston, 34, was arrested in May at Fort Irwin, California, where he was performing, on a warrant from the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Turner, 61, was detained the same day after a SWAT team executed a search warrant at Kingston’s rented mansion in Southwest Ranches.
The pair is accused of defrauding businesses including a jewelry store, a luxury bed retailer, a used exotic car dealership, and a luxury TV company since October 2023. They face additional charges in federal court, with allegations including theft of money, jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade, and furniture.
Kingston, known for his 2007 hit “Beautiful Girls” and his 2010 collaboration with Justin Bieber on “Eenie Meenie,” was already on probation for trafficking stolen property at the time of his arrest. Turner had previously served prison time for bank fraud.
Both have been sued by various businesses over the years, including a 2015 case in New York for $356,000 and a 2018 case for $301,000.
More recently, a Florida company sued Kingston for $120,000 related to an unpaid bill for a large television installation.
Kingston, who was born in Miami and later moved to Jamaica, achieved fame in the late 2000s but has seen a decline in his career, with his 2022 album failing to chart.
