Hollywood
American singer and rapper Sean Kingston and his mother facing 20 years in prison.
Updated : Jul 20, 2024, 08:41 AM IST | Edited by : Riya Sharma
American reggae fusion singer and rapper Sean Kingston and his mother were indicted in Miami federal court today in connection with a $1 million (Rs 8 crore approx) wire fraud scheme.
According to Variety, Sean Kingston and his mother have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to “defraud victim sellers of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry and other goods purchased” via fraudulent documents. If convicted, Kingston and Turner each face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
According to the United States Attorney's office of the Southern District of Florida, the alleged scheme involved making payments through banks that never actually went through. The office stated that the defendants “unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers.”
Kingston was first charged in California in May 2024 on theft charges after a SWAT raid of his South Florida mansion and the arrest of his mother. The raid was conducted after a lawsuit for not paying for luxury items.
After his arrest in May, Robert Rosenblatt, an attorney representing Kingston and his mother, told the Associated Press in an email, “We are aware of some of the allegations” being made against both of them. The statement continued, “We look forward to addressing these in court and are confident of a successful resolution for Shawn and his mother.”
Sean Kingston was discovered on YouTube by Matt Tobin at Beluga Heights Records and signed to the label in a partnership deal with Sony. He is best known for his 2007 No. 1 hit song ‘Beautiful Girls’ which was followed by ‘Eenie Meenie’ with Justin Bieber. Some of his other hits include ‘Take You There’, ‘Fire Burning’, ‘Back to Life’ and ‘Road to Deliverance’ among others.
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