Jamaican-American Rapper Sean Kingston 35, and his mother, Janice Turner 62, have been found guilty of federal wire fraud, marking a heartbreaking chapter in their lives.
After three and a half hours of jury deliberation, the mother-son duo was convicted on five counts related to defrauding luxury goods businesses, including jewelers, exotic car dealerships, and a luxury TV company.
Sean Kingston, ordered to remain under house arrest with electronic monitoring, must post a $500,000 home surety bond and an additional $200,000 in cash.
Turner, taken into federal custody due to flight risk concerns, faces a bleak future as both are set to be sentenced in July 11, 2025. Each count carries a potential 20-year sentence in prison.
The pair’s fraudulent scheme began years ago, with Kingston leveraging his celebrity status to convince retailers to deliver goods before payment, followed by Turner’s involvement in completing fraudulent wire transfers.
Sean Kingston and Turner, whose trial started on Monday, had previously pleaded not guilty. But in taking the stand on Thursday, Turner admitted to sending fake bank wires and other falsified documents.
She claimed she did so to protect her son from being taken advantage of by scammers and give herself time to look into the people they did business with. She said she had always intended to pay back their debts.
During the trial, the singer’s mother Turner was accused by the judge of being the “fixer and nerve center” in charge of the fraudulent scheme.
She has been convicted of similar crimes previously and served a year and a half in prison in 2006 after being found guilty of stealing over $160,000 via bank fraud.
Kingston’s defense team described him as a “child” who did not understand finances and would spend the money with no regard. He did not testify during the trial.
“Protect my mother,” the rapper cried out as US Marshalls took Turner into custody, the outlet reported.
Despite their pleas of innocence, the verdict left them in tears. In a touching moment after the verdict, Kingston hugged his mother, expressing his undying love on social media, promising, “I promise you this is not the end.”
This painful fall from grace follows Kingston’s rise to fame in the ’00s with hits like “Beautiful Girls” and his recent collaboration on Chris Brown’s Grammy-winning 2023 album.
His emotional post, sharing a photo of his mother with the words “My only queen forever,” speaks volumes about the profound bond between them, even in this dark moment.
