Rapper and singer Sean Kingston made a decision on Tuesday to waive his right to fight extradition in a California court. He has agreed to be handed over to authorities in Florida, where he and his mother are facing charges of committing fraud worth over a million dollars.
Representatives from the San Bernardino courts and sheriff’s office confirmed that Kingston, 34, did not make a public court appearance. However, he did sign papers agreeing to skip extradition hearings, according to The Associated Press.
The suspect is currently being held in a Southern California jail, with plans to transfer him back to Florida in coordination with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez.
Kingston found himself in a tight spot on Thursday when he was apprehended at Fort Irwin, a military training facility located in California’s Mojave Desert. The arrest occurred while he was in the midst of a performance.
Janice Turner, the 61-year-old mother, was apprehended on the very same day when a SWAT team conducted a raid on Kingston’s rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
According to arrest warrants released by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Kingston and Turner are facing charges of conducting an organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, identity theft, and related crimes. The warrants state that they allegedly stole money, jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade, and furniture.
In 2007, the Jamaican American artist achieved great success with the chart-topping hit “Beautiful Girls.” Additionally, he had the opportunity to collaborate with Justin Bieber on the popular track “Eenie Meenie.”
According to Robert Rosenblatt, an attorney representing Kingston and his mother, they expressed their intention on Friday to waive extradition. They are eager to confront the charges in a Florida court and hold a positive outlook for a favorable outcome.
Rosenblatt did not respond to emails seeking further comment on Tuesday.
According to the warrants, they allegedly stole nearly $500,000 worth of jewelry between October and March. Additionally, they are accused of taking over $200,000 from Bank of America, $160,000 from an Escalade dealer, over $100,000 from First Republic Bank, and $86,000 from a customized bed manufacturer. The warrants did not provide specific details regarding these thefts.
Kisean Anderson, also known as Kingston, had already been placed on two years’ probation for trafficking stolen property.
According to federal court records, his mother admitted her guilt in 2006 for committing bank fraud, where she embezzled more than $160,000. As a result, she was sentenced to almost 1.5 years in prison.
