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Rapper Sean Kingston Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Prison for $1 Million Fraud Scheme
Miami, FL – Rapper Sean Kingston was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on Friday after being convicted of a $1 million fraud scheme. The artist, whose legal name is Kisean Paul anderson, leveraged his celebrity status to defraud sellers of luxury goods, failing to pay for items he acquired.
In March, a federal jury found Kingston and his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Turner was sentenced to five years in prison last month.
Before sentencing, Kingston apologized to U.S. Judge David Leibowitz,stating he had learned from his actions. His attorney requested a delayed self-surrender due to health concerns, but the judge ordered him taken into custody immediately. Kingston was handcuffed and led away from the courtroom after removing his jacket.
Prosecutors described Kingston as being addicted to a celebrity lifestyle he could no longer afford, relying on his fame to avoid payment. Assistant U.S. attorney Marc Anton stated, “He clearly doesn’t like to pay and relies on his celebrity status to defraud his victims.” Anton characterized Kingston as “a thief and a conman, plain and simple.”
Kingston’s defense attorney, Zeljka Bozanic, argued that the 35-year-old artist had the mentality of a teenager when he rose to fame, lacking financial knowledge and relying on managers and his mother. “No one showed him how to invest his money,” Bozanic said, “money went in and money went out on superficial things.” She also stated Kingston has begun repaying victims and intends to cover the full amount once he can work again.
Judge Leibowitz acknowledged Kingston’s acceptance of responsibility and decision not to testify, but contrasted this with the obstructionist testimony of his mother.
The case began with a raid in May 2024, when a SWAT team searched kingston’s rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale and arrested Turner. Kingston was apprehended at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in California, while performing.
Investigators found that between April 2023 and March 2024, Kingston used social media to arrange purchases of luxury items. He woudl invite sellers to his Florida homes, promising social media promotion in exchange for the goods. However, he and his mother allegedly provided fake wire transfer receipts for items like a bulletproof Escalade, watches, and a 9-foot LED TV. Victims often had to file lawsuits or contact law enforcement to receive payment, if they received it at all.Kingston rose to fame in 2007 with his hit song “Stunning girls,” a remix of Ben E. King’s classic. he also had success with songs like ”Me Love” and “Fire Burning.”