A SWAT team stormed rapper Sean Kingston’s rented mansion in South Florida on Thursday, arresting his mother on charges of fraud and theft. According to an attorney, these charges partly stem from the installation of a massive TV at the home.
Broward County detectives took Janice Turner, 61, into custody at the sprawling 14,000-square-foot home in Southwest Ranches. This affluent Fort Lauderdale suburb is known for its celebrity residents, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill.
The sheriff’s office noted that the investigation is ongoing and withheld specific details about the charges against Turner or whether her 34-year-old son is implicated. Local media reported that Kingston was not present during the raid as he was out of town. Broward County prosecutors directed all inquiries to the sheriff’s office.
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It’s unclear if Turner has legal representation to comment on her behalf. Federal court records reveal she previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 2006, stealing over $160,000, and served 16 months in prison.
On Instagram, Kingston posted, “People love negative energy!” Kingston posted on Instagram on Thursday. “I am good, and so is my mother! … My lawyers are handling everything as we speak.” This post was later removed.
Records from the Florida Department of Corrections show Kingston is on two years’ probation for trafficking stolen property. Reporters observed authorities loading a van with items from the mansion, which was surrounded by high-end sports cars.
The Jamaican-American rapper, known for his 2007 No. 1 single “Beautiful Girls,” his collaboration with Justin Bieber on “Eenie Meenie,” and “Take You There,” suffered near-fatal injuries in a 2011 jet ski accident. Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Anderson, has not released a major label album in over a decade.
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An attorney present during the arrest indicated it relates to a lawsuit he filed against Kingston in February, accusing him of defrauding a Florida company that installed a 232-inch television at his home.
Attorney Dennis Card told The Associated Press, “It is amazing what you can get away with if you are a celebrity. He creates this larger than life, ‘I am rich’ persona. His mother is a necessary component in this. He presents himself as a family-oriented guy, ‘I’m taking care of my mom,’ but she knows full well what is going on.”
The lawsuit claims Ver Ver Entertainment was contacted by Kingston in September to purchase and install the TV, branded as Colossal TV, costing $150,000. Kingston allegedly promised that if the company agreed to a lower down payment and extended credit, he and Bieber would do commercials for them.
In November, Kingston paid $30,000 and the TV was installed. However, no commercials or further payments were made, despite numerous promises, the lawsuit alleges.
Attempts to reach Kingston’s recent publicists for comment went unanswered. The lawsuit also mentions that Kingston no longer has a working relationship with Bieber, who recently dropped his long-time manager. Bieber’s current contact information is unavailable.
“He is 100% not involved in this,” Card said regarding Bieber. “He had the misfortune of doing some work in the past with Sean and Sean drops his name like crazy.
