MIAMI — American rapper Sean Kingston, once a global music sensation, has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison after being convicted on multiple fraud charges. The judgment was handed down in a federal court, bringing an end to a case that prosecutors say saw the singer and his mother, Janice Turner, bilk victims out of more than $1 million worth of luxury goods.
Africa Update reports that earlier this year, Kingston and Turner were convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. According to court documents and testimony, the duo leveraged Kingston’s celebrity status to obtain high-end items, including luxury watches, a 232-inch LED TV, a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, and expensive furniture. Prosecutors stated that instead of paying for the goods, they sent fake wire transfer receipts to deceive their victims.
During sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton did not mince words, describing Kingston as a “thief and conman” who relied on his fame to maintain a lifestyle he could no longer afford. “He doesn’t like to pay and relies on his celebrity status to defraud his victims,” Anton stated.
In a contrasting argument, defense attorney Zeljka Bozanic painted a picture of a man with a “mentality of a teenager” who lacked financial literacy. “No one showed him how to invest his money. Money went in and money went out on superficial things,” she said.
Before the sentencing, Kingston offered an apology, telling the court he had learned from his mistakes. Despite his lawyer’s request for a delayed surrender due to health concerns, the judge ordered him into immediate custody.
The conviction follows their high-profile arrest in May 2024, when a SWAT team raided his rented Fort Lauderdale mansion. His mother, Janice Turner, had previously been sentenced to five years in prison in July for her role in the scheme
