by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
American-Jamaican singer Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Florida for his role in a $1 million wire fraud scheme that also implicated his mother.
Kingston, 35, who rose to fame with his 2007 hit Beautiful Girls, was convicted in March for using falsified wire transfer receipts to acquire luxury vehicles, watches, and other expensive items.
His mother, Janice Turner, received a five-year prison sentence with probation in July after admitting her involvement.
The pair were arrested in May 2024 during a SWAT raid on their South Florida residence. Prosecutors said Kingston used social media to target sellers of high-end goods, promising them exposure on his platforms before presenting fake payment confirmations. Among the items obtained were a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade and an Audemars Piguet watch.
Court filings revealed that Kingston had instructed Turner via text message to “make [a] fake receipt” to stall payments. While Turner admitted to falsifying wire transfers, she claimed her actions were an attempt to shield her son.
At his sentencing, Kingston apologised and expressed regret but was denied a request for home confinement.
This is not Turner’s first conviction—she previously served time in prison for a 2006 bank fraud case. Both mother and son also face multiple lawsuits from sellers over unpaid debts.