Sean Kingston & Mother Found Guilty in Luxury Goods Wire Fraud Scheme
Sean Kingston and his mother have been found guilty of wire fraud in their federal trial in Florida. The pair were convicted of defrauding multiple luxury businesses through elaborate schemes involving false promises and fraudulent documentation.
The verdict came after three and a half hours of jury deliberation. Kingston was ordered to house arrest with electronic monitoring and must post a $500,000 property bond plus $200,000 in cash. His mother, Janice Turner, was taken into federal custody until sentencing on July 11.
Sean Kingston holding a microphone
The fraud scheme targeted multiple high-end vendors:
- A jewelry business
- A luxury bed company
- A microLED TV company
- An exotic car dealership
Kingston used his celebrity status to obtain luxury items without payment, including:
- A $150,000 home theater system (falsely claiming partnership with Justin Bieber)
- Luxury watches
- A bulletproof Cadillac Escalade
- High-end bedding
Their method involved:
- Making false promises of wire transfers
- Creating fake payment documents
- Fabricating wire transfer receipts
- Lying about celebrity partnerships
The arrests occurred in May 2024, with Kingston apprehended in Fort Irwin, California, while his mother was arrested during a SWAT raid at their Southwest Ranches home in Broward County, Florida.
Judge David D. Leibowitz allowed Kingston to remain free on bond due to his silence during the trial. However, his mother's testimony, which the judge deemed "amounted to obstruction," resulted in her immediate federal custody pending sentencing.
Sean Kingston singing into microphone
Sean Kingston's inscribed jewelry watch