Rapper Sean Kingston, mother found guilty in federal fraud case

A U.S. federal jury found singer and rapper Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, guilty on all counts in a luxury fraud trial late Friday. The case involved allegations that the two fraudulently obtained luxury items.

Turner was immediately taken into custody after the verdict was read. The judge stated that her past criminal record and role in the fraud were key factors in the decision. The judge described Turner as the "mastermind, coordinator, and accountant" of the fraudulent activities. As she was being led away, she blew a kiss to her daughter, who mouthed back "I love you."

Kingston, 35 (real name Kisean Anderson), was sentenced to immediate home confinement pending sentencing. He had requested permission to travel to Texas for a scheduled performance, but the judge denied the request, stating, "He's not going to Texas."

Prosecutors accused Kingston and Turner of orchestrating a scheme to acquire high-end goods, including a luxury SUV, jewelry, expensive watches, and a wall-sized television, without paying for them. During the investigation, the Broward County Sheriff's Office raided Kingston's Southwest Ranches, Florida, home in May. Evidence presented by authorities indicated that the pair used forged wire transfer receipts as proof of payment. Key evidence included a text message Kingston sent to his mother, which read: "I told you to do a fake receipt," followed by, "So it looks like the transfer is going to be there in a few days."

In closing arguments, Turner's lawyer claimed that the alleged victims were "con artists" themselves. Kingston's lawyer attempted to separate his client's public persona from his personal finances, describing him as a "weak person who came from poverty as a child after becoming famous overnight" and "didn't know how to run a business or how much money was in his bank account." Kingston was initially arrested on May 23, 2024, at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in the Mojave Desert in California, where he was performing. He waived his right to fight extradition and was sent back to Florida.

Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, July 11, with Turner's hearing set for 9 a.m. and Kingston's hearing set for 11 a.m. In addition to the federal charges, the two also face similar state charges. Kingston is a Jamaican-American performer who rose to fame with his 2007 number-one hit "Beautiful Girls" and later collaborated with Justin Bieber on "Eenie Meenie."