Rapper Sean Kingston sentenced to three years for fraud scheme
Rapper Sean Kingston has been sentenced to a few and a half years in federal jail in a million-dollar fraud scheme.
The “Stunning Ladies” singer was convicted earlier this 12 months, alongside together with his mom, in a wire fraud scheme the place they stole luxurious gadgets together with watches, a 232-inch LED TV, a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade and furnishings, exceeding $1m (£738,000).
Prosecutors stated Kingston – whose authorized title is Kisean Anderson – and his mom used the rapper’s movie star standing to get victims to offer them merchandise and when fee was due would ship them pretend wire receipts.
The singer apologised to the courtroom earlier than being sentenced and stated he’d discovered from his actions, in accordance with US media.
His mom, Janice Turner, was sentenced in July to 5 years in jail.
The Jamaican-American rapper, who can be recognized for hits like Fireplace Burning, Take You There and Eenie Meenie, which featured singer Justin Bieber, was arrested in 2024 in California, the place he was set to carry out at an Military coaching base within the Mojave Desert.
His arrest occurred after authorities raided his house close to Fort Lauderdale, the place his mom was taken into custody.
Federal prosecutors stated Kingston reached out to victims on social media, saying he wished to buy luxurious items after which invited them to his numerous houses in South Florida.
Kingston promised these victims to submit their merchandise on his social media and typically provided to refer their merchandise to different “excessive profile celebrities”, federal prosecutors stated.
However when fee was due for the merchandise, he or his mom despatched them pretend wire receipts that falsely confirmed they’d despatched over the cash, prosecutors stated at trial.
Authorities stated most victims had been by no means paid, although a number of did obtain fee after regulation enforcement bought concerned or lawsuits had been filed.
A key piece of proof proven at trial had been textual content messages between Kingston and his mom discussing the pretend fee receipts, in accordance with CBS, the BBC’s information associate.
“I informed you to make [a] pretend receipt,” he wrote in a single.
Kingston’s lawyer Zeljka Bozanic stated the singer was “a comfortable man who grew up poor when he rose to fame in a single day”. He stated Kingston nonetheless had the mentality of a youngster and did not know how one can run his financial institution accounts or enterprise.
He’ll start serving his time instantly.
