Rapper Sean Kingston, known for his breakout hit “Beautiful Girls,” and his mother, Janice Turner, both pleaded not guilty to charges of organized fraud and grand theft on Monday.
The charges allege that the pair defrauded several businesses of more than $1 million.
During an arraignment session before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra, Kingston, real name Kisean Anderson, and Turner submitted their pleas.
The court session started after the bond had been set at $90,000 in a prior hearing. Judge Kollra made no changes in the bond amount.
Recall that the rapper and singer, Kingston was arrested on May 23 at Fort Irwin, an Army training site in California’s Mojave Desert, while playing. A month later, he was booked into the Broward County Jail on similar state charges.
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Turner was arrested on the same day as her son, following a SWAT team raid on his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, rental house.
According to the federal charges, Kingston and Turner made up the story that they had transmitted money via bank wire or another manner for pricey products, when in fact no such transfers had occurred.
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 according to AP.
Kingston, and his mother, are expected back in court on October 11, according to the newspaper. They are also facing similar allegations in federal court.
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