Judge sets $100,000 bond for rapper Sean Kingston

Image source, Getty Images

  • Author, Brandon Drenon
  • Role, 大象传媒 News
  • Reporting from Washington DC

A Florida judge has set a $100,000 (拢78,469) bond for rapper Sean Kingston, days after he was extradited to the Sunshine State.

The 34-year-old was arrested in California in May, waived his right to challenge the extradition, and was booked into Florida's Broward County jail on Sunday.

Mr Kingston - whose legal name is Kisean Anderson - is accused of committing more than $1m in fraud and theft. His lawyer says he will plead not guilty.

At his bond hearing on Monday, the judge listed the 10 criminal charges against him, which included grand theft, fraud and criminal use of personal identification.

Mr Kingston's 23 May arrest occurred the same day police raided his home in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, and arrested his 61-year-old mother, Janice Turner.

Arrest warrants allege that the pair stole money, jewellery, a Cadillac Escalade and furniture, exceeding $1m.

Mr Kingston, who was on probation for trafficking stolen property at the time of his arrest, has also been charged with violation of probation.

He was "under coercion" when he signed the waiver allowing his extradition to Florida without contest, his lawyer Bob Rosenblatt said.

Mr Rosenblatt said Mr Kingston plans to enter a not-guilty plea.

"I don't know who is claiming they owe money," he said, according to the 大象传媒's media partner CBS News. "We were aware of the watches, we are aware of the TV issue."

"If there are other issues I'm not sure about... It's a breach of contract. There's no fraud here. There's no organised fraud at all."

In a separate case - which appears to be have been referenced by Mr Rosenblatt - a company has accused Mr Kingston of not fully paying for a large TV and sound system.

The company claims Mr Kingston "induced" the business to install the products with "as small a down payment as possible" by making "numerous false representations", including a suggestion that he would create promotional videos for the company with Justin Bieber.

Mr Kingston, a Jamaican-born singer known for hits such as Beautiful Girls, Fire Burning, and Eenie Meenie, shared a statement on his Instagram account before he and his mother were arrested last month.

"I am good and so is my mother," he wrote. "My lawyers are handling everything as we speak."

His representatives have been contacted for comment.