Rapper Sean Kingston and His Mother Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges

Prominent rapper Sean Kingston and his mother have been indicted in South Florida on federal charges after being accused of committing more than $1 million worth of fraud. Kingston, 34, and his mother, Janice Turner, 61, made their first appearances in federal court in July. A Miami grand jury returned an indictment for the duo accusing them of participating in a scheme to defraud victims of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry, and other goods, through the use of fraudulent documents.

Kingston is facing federal charges. He was previously charged on similar state charges last month following a May 23 arrest at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in the Mojave Desert where he was performing. His mother was arrested the same day as Kingston. A SWAT team raided his rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

What did Kingston do?

According to the federal indictment, Kingston and his mother falsely claimed that they had executed bank wire or other payment transfers for high-end items when no transfers of any kind had taken place. Investigators say that mother and son kept over $1 million worth of fraudulently purchased items despite never having paid for them.

Warrants for the state charges say that Kingston and his mother stole almost $500,000 worth of jewelry, more than $200,000 from Bank of America, $160,000 from a Cadillac Escalade dealer, more than $100,000 from First Republic Bank, and $86,000 from the maker of customized beds.

Wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud 

Kingston and his mother are facing federal wire fraud charges. They have been charged with both wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. To convict someone on wire fraud charges, federal prosecutors must establish that the defendant intentionally used some kind of electronic communication (such as a phone or an email) for the purpose of committing fraud. The specific elements of the crime of wire fraud include:

• Scheme or artifice to defraud – The prosecution must prove that there was a scheme or plan in place to defraud someone of money or anything else of value. In Kingston’s case, it was a valuable luxury item.

• Scheme involves false representations that are material – The prosecution must be able to establish that false representations were made. The false statements have to be “material” meaning that they have to be capable of influencing someone.

• Intent to defraud – You can’t accidentally defraud someone. The prosecution must prove that false statements were made for the purpose of deceiving the victim out of their money or property.
• Use of a wire – The prosecution must prove the use of an interstate wire. This can include the internet, radio, telephone, email, or anything electronic. For the federal government to have jurisdiction, the use of an interstate wire is required. No such requirement exists for the state of Florida.

Kingston and his mother face a maximum of 20 years if convicted on the charges.

Talk to a Tampa, FL Federal Wire Fraud Attorney Today 

Facing federal charges in Tampa? You need a criminal defense attorney skilled at defending clients from the federal government. Call the Tampa criminal lawyers at The Matassini Law Firm to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.

Source:

abc11.com/post/sean-kingston-mother-indicted-federal-charges-fraud-scheme/15073030/