Sean Kingston was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison on August 15, 2025, after a jury convicted the singer of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz in Miami also ordered three years of probation to follow. Kingston, born Kisean Paul Anderson and 35 at the time of sentencing, and his mother Janice Eleanor Turner ran a scheme that defrauded luxury goods vendors of more than $1 million.1U.S. Department of Justice. Sean Kingston and Mother Sentenced to Federal Prison for $1 Million Fraud Scheme2Local 10 News. Sean Kingston to Be Sentenced for $1 Million Fraud Scheme in Broward County
How the Fraud Worked
Between April 2023 and March 2024, Kingston contacted luxury merchandise vendors through social media and invited them to his rented 14,000-square-foot mansion in Southwest Ranches, a Broward County suburb. He used his celebrity to build trust, promising to promote the sellers’ products or connect them with other high-profile celebrities.1U.S. Department of Justice. Sean Kingston and Mother Sentenced to Federal Prison for $1 Million Fraud Scheme
When payment came due, Kingston or Turner sent screenshots of fabricated wire transfer receipts. No funds were actually transferred. Most victims were never paid, though some eventually recovered money after involving law enforcement or filing suit. A text message from Kingston to his mother, introduced at trial, read: “I told you to make [a] fake receipt.”3BBC. Sean Kingston Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud
What Kingston Took
The merchandise obtained through the scheme included a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, a 232-inch LED television, high-end watches, and luxury furniture. Arrest warrants cited in news reports broke the losses down as nearly $500,000 in jewelry, more than $200,000 connected to Bank of America, $160,000 from a Cadillac Escalade dealer, over $100,000 tied to First Republic Bank, and $86,000 from a customized bed manufacturer.4NBC News. Rapper Sean Kingston, Mother Indicted on Federal Charges in $1M Fraud Scheme
Fort Lauderdale jeweler Moshe Edery testified that he handed over an Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar watch worth $285,000 after Kingston promised introductions to other celebrities and spots in video shoots. Turner sent him a screenshot of a purported wire transfer, but his bank told him the document did not look authentic. Edery said he was fired, lost professional credibility, and was blacklisted in the industry.5NBC Miami. Fort Lauderdale Jeweler Testifies in Sean Kingston Fraud Trial
Ver Ver Entertainment, a large-format display company, installed a 232-inch television and sound system at Kingston’s home in December 2023 after he wired a $30,000 deposit and told the company he had an “ongoing working relationship” with Justin Bieber. Kingston signed documentation three days after installation confirming he was “fully satisfied,” then never paid the balance. When representatives came to collect a check in January 2024, his cousin told them no check existed.6CBS News Miami. Why Was Sean Kingston Arrested
Trial and Conviction
The federal trial began in Fort Lauderdale with jury selection on March 24, 2025. Prosecutors introduced the fake wire transfer documents, victim testimony, and the text messages between Kingston and his mother. The defense argued that some of the transactions were legitimate business disputes rather than fraud, contending that the Audemars Piguet watch was part of a referral arrangement and that Kingston had paid $70,000 toward the Escalade before it was repossessed.7Local 10 News. Witnesses Claiming to Be Fraud Victims Testify in Court Against Sean Kingston and His Mother
On March 28, 2025, the jury found both defendants guilty of all five counts. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Trevor Jones.8U.S. Department of Justice. Sean Kingston and His Mother Convicted of Fraud
The Sentence
Judge Leibowitz handed down the 42-month sentence on August 15, 2025. Kingston’s attorney told the court that most of the defrauded businesses had already been paid back.9NBC News. Rapper Sean Kingston Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud
Turner was sentenced first, on July 23, 2025, to five years in federal prison followed by three years of probation. She told the court her conduct was motivated by a desire to “keep my son afloat in this difficult industry.” Court filings indicated that Turner, a Jamaican citizen, will be deported after serving her term. As of fall 2025, she was in the federal detention center in Miami.10Billboard. Sean Kingston’s Mom Sentenced to Prison in Luxury Fraud Case11Miami Herald. Sean Kingston’s Mother Sentenced in Fraud Case
Restitution
In September 2025, the court ordered Kingston and Turner to pay $38,500 in restitution to a victim identified as “B.C.” While Kingston is incarcerated, half of any salary he earns will go toward restitution. After his release, 10 percent of his monthly gross earnings will be applied to repayment. A further restitution hearing was scheduled within 90 days unless the parties reached an agreement sooner. The $38,500 figure is small next to the $1 million fraud total because, according to the defense, many victims had already been repaid.12Local 10 News. Sean Kingston, Mother Ordered to Pay $38,500 Restitution to Victim in Federal Fraud Case
Prior History
The federal case was not the first legal trouble for either defendant. At the time of his May 2024 arrest, Kingston was serving two years of probation for trafficking in stolen property, a conviction stemming from a dispute over jewelry. His probation ran from November 2023 through October 2025. He had also been sued in 2022 over two unpaid luxury watches worth more than $1.05 million, and in 2015 over watches worth $356,000.13Local 10 News. Records Show Sean Kingston and His Mother Were Accused of Stealing Before14CBS News Miami. Sean Kingston, Janice Turner Wire Fraud Federal Trial
Turner pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 2006 for stealing more than $160,000 and served nearly 18 months in federal prison for that offense.13Local 10 News. Records Show Sean Kingston and His Mother Were Accused of Stealing Before