Braxton Impersonator Acquitted

10 June 2009

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A Toni Braxton impersonator has been acquitted on charges of fraud in Suriname after spending three months in jail following accusations she scammed party bookers by pretending to be the real singer.

Celebrity impersonator Trina Johnson-Finn was booed off stage by a crowd of 3,000 in February (09) when they realized she was not the Grammy-winning singer.

She spent three months in jail awaiting a verdict following her March (09) arrest.

It was hard dealing with the situation knowing I was innocent. But now I just wantto go back home and hug my family, my husband. I haven't seen them for so long

Judge Robby Rodrigues cleared the Las Vegas entertainer on Tuesday (09Jun09), telling the court it was unclear whether Johnson-Finn knew that concert-goers had been led to believe she was the real Braxton.

Prosecutors had requested she serve a one year sentence, suspended for nine months, while the defense argued fans in Suriname were not made aware of the business of celebrity impersonations.

Concert promoter Angel Ventura and his girlfriend, Signet Sampson, are expected to stand trial in July (09).

Ventura initially stated that Johnson-Finn knew about the scam from the beginning, an allegation he later retracted, according to police.

Speaking outside the courtroom, Johnson-Finn told reporters "It was hard dealing with the situation knowing I was innocent. But now I just want to go back home and hug my family, my husband. I haven't seen them for so long".

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