Hip-hop is seeing an unprecedented number of trials this year. A$AP Rocky was acquitted of all charges and Kay Flock was slammed with several guilty verdicts. While it’s not the best look for rappers, at least their cases are one step closer to coming to an end once they meet the jury. This week, Sean Kingston and his mother are having their day in court. Their federal wire fraud trial begins with a bit of drama.
Sean Kingston Brings Bible to Court While Mother Requests New Attorney at Trial
Day two of the trial for Sean Kingston, 35, and his mother, Janice Turner, 61, was underway in Broward County federal court on Tuesday (March 25). NBC Miami reports that the hip-hop artist’s mother requested to change her attorney because she could not get along with her previous counsel. While there are no further details on the issues that caused the friction, it’s in this family’s best interest to have someone representing them without adding more problems to the pile. Looks like Kingston is relying on his faith as he faces the serious legal battle ahead. He attended court and left the building with a Bible in his hand.
On Monday (March 24), jury selection started with 45 prospective jurors narrowed down to 12 and one alternate. The jury is made up of nine women and four men. They will listen to the prosecution and defense as they argue over the allegations that caused a grand jury to charge Kingston and Turner with a six-count federal indictment of wire fraud and conspiracy last year. The charges include one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.
Last year, the mother and son team were accused of committing more than $1 million worth of fraud and theft by using fake documents to access luxury goods and more. They were both arrested in separate cities last May after a raid on Kingston’s home where many of those same expensive items were seized.
In court today, witnesses claimed Kingston and Turner allegedly gave them a fake receipt of a wire transfer with funds that were sent to them and never actually got the money they were promised. Kingston and Turner relied on the phony paperwork as a way to defraud businesses to live a lavish lifestyle they apparently couldn’t afford.
Kingston seemed to use his celebrity to lure people into giving him expensive things like jewelry, cars and furniture. Ariel Mateos, owner of Ver Ver Entertainment LLC., sold the singer a 232-inch colossal television valued at $115,000. He claimed in court that after installing the TV in Kingston’s rented Florida home, a down payment of $30,000 was received but the remaining balance was never paid. Only fake wire transfer receipts were provided, which led to months of chasing the alleged money owed.
Also on the stand was a car salesman, who said he received the fake wire transfer paperwork when Kingston tried to get access to a vehicle, and a watch dealer claiming he was out of thousands of dollars due to the fraud scheme.
Outside the courthouse today, Kingston sent some words of thanks to his fans: “All my fans that supported me, I love you guys.”
Last May, Dennis Carr, a lawyer who filed a lawsuit against Kingston on behalf of Mateos, revealed the method to how the once-popular entertainer would defraud people.
“He’s got basically a script,” Carr said outside Kingston’s home the day it was raided. “He says that he works with Justin Bieber and that he obviously puts on a big show here. This is a rental house. He doesn’t own it, and he lures people using his celebrity into having them release things without him paying for it and he simply never pays.
Sean Kingston and Janice Turner have pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding multiple businesses. They face 20 years in prison if convicted.
XXL has reached out to a rep for Sean Kingston for comment.
Read More: Sean Kingston and His Mother Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges in $1 Million Plot
Check out what Sean Kingston has to say outside the courthouse below.
Watch Sean Kingston and His Mother Leave the Courthouse After Attending Trial
