Sean Kingston tried to slip past reporters by covering his head with a towel as he was released from jail in his fraud case.
The singer-songwriter posted $100,000 bond and walked out of the Broward County Jail on Tuesday, June 4, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
His towel ruse didn’t work because journalists were waiting at the jail and began shouting questions when they spotted him.
Related: Sean Kingston Arrested on Fraud Charges at California Concert
A reporter with CBS Miami said on air, “We tried to ask him questions over and over again, for about three or four minutes.”
Surrounded by family members and a personal security guard, Kingston, 34, ignored all but one question.
“As he was getting into the Maybach that pulled up to take him away, I asked if he owned that Maybach or if it’s rented and he told me, ‘I own it, check the license plate,'” the reporter said Kingston told him.
The “Beautiful Girls” singer is accused of committing more than $1 million dollars in fraud.
Kingston, born Kisean Anderson, was extradited from San Bernardino County, California to South Florida and charged with 10 felony counts on Sunday, June 2, according to online inmate records.
He faces a total of nine charges alleging fraud, grand theft, and identity theft, plus a probation violation following a previous conviction for trafficking stolen property.
His bail was set at $100,000 — $10,000 for each of the nine counts, plus another $10,000 for the probation violation.
The singer’s legal saga took a dramatic turn on May 23, when police raided his 14,000-square foot mansion in Southwest Ranches, a wealthy suburb of Fort Lauderdale, in connection with a lawsuit over stolen goods.
Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, 61, were both arrested. Turner was taken into custody during the raid, and quickly posted bond.
Hours later, Kingston was arrested at a concert on the U.S. Army base in Irwin, California in the Mojave Desert — about two hours outside of Los Angeles — where he was hired to perform.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office alleged Kingston and his mother have a history of bouncing checks, scamming businesses for furniture, electronics, jewelry and a Cadillac Escalade, and defrauding banks of more than $45,000.
Ver Ver Entertainment filed a lawsuit in February accusing Kingston of defrauding the company by “not paying for purchased items, including a 232-inch TV,” according to NBC6 Miami.
The station reported the lawsuit alleged Kingston had Ver Ver install the TV system in his home without paying off the bill. The suit said Kingston made a $30,000 down payment in November and the TV was installed.
According to the complaint, he was supposed to pay off the bill in the form of promotional videos Kingston allegedly told the company he would make with former musical collaborator Justin Bieber. Ver Ver alleged Kingston made numerous promises, but never finished paying the bill.
Bob Rosenblatt, an attorney representing Kingston and his mother, said there was a misunderstanding.
“Well, I don’t know who is claiming they owe money,” Rosenblatt said. “If there are other issues I’m not sure about… It’s a breach of contract. There’s no fraud here. There’s no organized fraud at all.”
Following the raid on his house, Kingston took to social media to clear his name.
“People love negative energy! I am good and so is my mother! My lawyers are handling everything as we speak,” he shared in a statement on his Instagram Story.
The Jamaican-American performer is best known to fans for his 2007 No. 1 single “Beautiful Girls.” His other hit songs include the 2010 singles “Eenie Meenie” featuring Justin Bieber and “Letting Go (Dutty Love)” featuring Nicki Minaj.
Watch the video above of Sean Kingston being released from jail.
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