Rapper Sean Kingston is back to jail
He has been sentenced to three and a half years in a US federal prison for his role in a million-dollar fraud scheme
The “Beautiful Girls” singer, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, was convicted earlier this year alongside his mother in a wire fraud case involving luxury items, including watches, a 232-inch LED TV, a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, and furniture, valued at over $1 million (£738,000)
Prosecutors said Kingston and his mother exploited his celebrity status to convince victims to provide these products and then issued fake wire transfer receipts when it was time to pay.
Before his sentencing, Kingston apologized in court and said he had learned from his actions, according to US media reports.
His mother, Janice Turner, received a five-year prison sentence in July.
The Jamaican-American artist, also known for hits like “Fire Burning,” “Take You There,” and “Eenie Meenie” featuring Justin Bieber, was arrested in 2024 in California while preparing to perform at an Army training base in the Mojave Desert. Authorities raided his Fort Lauderdale home, where his mother was also taken into custody.
Federal prosecutors detailed that Kingston contacted victims via social media, expressing interest in purchasing luxury goods, and invited them to his homes in South Florida. He promised to promote their products on his social media or refer them to other “high-profile celebrities.”
When it was time to pay, Kingston or his mother provided fake wire receipts showing that funds had been sent, prosecutors said. While some victims were eventually compensated after law enforcement intervened or lawsuits were filed, many never received payment.
Text messages between Kingston and his mother, presented at trial, revealed their coordination on the fake receipts. In one message, Kingston wrote, “I told you to make [a] fake receipt.”
Kingston’s attorney, Zeljka Bozanic, described him as “a soft guy who grew up poor and rose to fame overnight,” saying he still had a teenage mindset and lacked experience managing finances or business affairs.
Kingston will begin serving his sentence immediately.
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