Judge sets $100,000 bond for rapper Sean Kingston
A Florida judge has set a $100,000 bond for rapper Sean Kingston, following his extradition to the state from California. The 34-year-old, whose legal name is Kisean Anderson, is facing accusations of committing over $1m in fraud and theft.
Mr. Kingston was arrested in California in May and was extradited to Florida where he was booked into Broward County jail. During his bond hearing, the judge listed 10 criminal charges against him, including grand theft, fraud, and criminal use of personal identification. His lawyer has stated that he plans to plead not guilty to these charges.
The arrest of Mr. Kingston on May 23 coincided with a police raid on his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where his mother, Janice Turner, was also arrested. The arrest warrants allege that the mother-son duo stole money, jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade, and furniture, totaling over $1m in value.
In addition to the current charges, Mr. Kingston was on probation for trafficking stolen property at the time of his arrest, and now faces a violation of probation charge as well. His lawyer claims that he was under coercion when he signed the waiver allowing his extradition without contest.
The legal team representing Mr. Kingston has denied any allegations of fraud, stating that the issues at hand are a result of a breach of contract rather than organized fraud. They have also addressed a separate case where a company has accused Mr. Kingston of not fully paying for a large TV and sound system, alleging that he made false representations to obtain the products.
Sean Kingston, known for hit songs like Beautiful Girls and Fire Burning, has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings. His representatives have been reached out to for further comment on the matter.
