Sean Kingston, Mother Convicted of $1M Wire Fraud Scheme

Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, were found guilty of federal wire fraud in a scheme that involved scamming vendors out of luxury goods worth over $1 million using fraudulent payments. The jury reached a unanimous verdict after deliberating for three-and-a-half hours, convicting them of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud, with potential sentences of up to 20 years for each charge. Kingston allegedly leveraged his celebrity status to persuade sellers to deliver luxury items before payment, while Turner assisted by following up on transactions with bogus wire transfers. Their fraudulent activities reportedly included high-end vehicles, jewelry, and luxury items, with evidence presented in court detailing text messages instructing the creation of fake payment confirmations. Both are scheduled for sentencing on July 11, with Kingston placed under house arrest and his mother remanded into custody. This conviction follows their July 2024 indictment after a SWAT raid revealed their fraudulent scheme.