SAN BERNARDINO, Calif – A prominent rapper and singer, known as Sean Kingston, has chosen to forgo his right to challenge extradition in a California court on Tuesday. Instead, he has agreed to be transferred to authorities in Florida, where he and his mother are facing charges of fraud totaling over a million dollars.
Kingston, age 34, did not appear publicly in court, but rather signed documents consenting to skip extradition proceedings, as confirmed by representatives from San Bernardino courts and sheriff’s office. While Kingston remained in a Southern California jail by Tuesday afternoon, arrangements were being made with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office to transport him back to Florida, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez.
The arrest of Kingston occurred at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in California, where he was engaged in a performance. Simultaneously, his mother, Janice Turner, aged 61, was apprehended the same day after a SWAT team conducted a raid on Kingston’s rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The charges against Kingston and Turner include engaging in an organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, identity theft, and other related offenses, as outlined in the arrest warrants released by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Allegations suggest that they pilfered money, jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade, and furniture. Kingston, a Jamaican American artist, achieved a number one hit with “Beautiful Girls” in 2007 and famously collaborated with Justin Bieber on “Eenie Meenie.”
Their attorney, Robert Rosenblatt, had previously stated their intention to waive extradition and face the charges in a Florida court, expressing confidence in a favorable outcome. Despite attempts to reach Rosenblatt for further comment, emails remained unanswered.
Details in the warrants indicate that between October and March, Kingston and Turner misappropriated substantial sums from various sources, including banks, jewelry, and luxury items. Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, was already serving probation for trafficking stolen goods at the time of these alleged offenses.
Additionally, Turner has a past conviction for bank fraud in 2006, resulting in an imprisonment of nearly 1.5 years. These latest charges have thrust both Kingston and his mother into a legal battle with potentially serious consequences.