Sean Kingston, right, and his mother Janice Turner arrive at the 40th anniversary American Music Awards, Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
MIAMI —Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother pleaded not guilty Monday, Aug. 26, to charges of defrauding multiple businesses of more than $1 million.
Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother, Janice Turner, entered the pleas during an arraignment hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra, the Sun Sentinel reported. Bond had already been set at $90,000 in a previous hearing, and Kollra did not make any changes, the newspaper said.
The performer and his mother pleaded not guilty to organized fraud and grand theft charges.
Kingston was originally arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May on a warrant issued by the Broward Sheriff’s Office after a SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches.
Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership and a luxury microLED TV company since October 2023, arrest warrants said.
Kingston and his mother are expected back in court Oct. 11, the newspaper said. They are also facing related charges in federal court.
Kingston broke into the music scene at the age of 17 in 2007 with the hit “Beautiful Girls,” which laid his lyrics over the musical track of “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King.