Rapper Sean Kingston sentenced to prison over £740k fraud scheme

Highlights:

• Rapper Sean Kingston sentenced to three and a half years in US federal prison.
  
• Fraud scheme, run with his mother, involved luxury goods worth more than £740,000.
  
• Items included designer watches, furniture, a 232-inch LED TV and a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade.
  
• Kingston apologised in court; his mother was jailed for five years in July.
  
• Text messages showed the pair discussing fake payment receipts.
  

Conviction and sentencing

Rapper Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in a US federal prison for his role in a fraud scheme worth over £740,000.

The Jamaican-American singer, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, was convicted earlier this year alongside his mother, Janice Turner, of wire fraud. Prosecutors said they exploited Kingston’s celebrity status to obtain luxury items without paying for them.

How the scheme worked

According to prosecutors, Kingston contacted victims via social media, claiming he wished to buy high-end products. He then invited them to his homes in South Florida, promising to promote their goods on his platforms or introduce them to other celebrities.

When payments were due, Kingston or his mother sent fraudulent wire transfer receipts. While some victims later received compensation after legal intervention or lawsuits, most were left out of pocket.

Evidence at trial

Prosecutors said the scheme netted more than £740,000 in goods, including luxury watches, furniture, a 232-inch LED television and a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade.

Text messages shown in court revealed Kingston instructing his mother: “I told you to make [a] fake receipt.”

Apology and defence

Before sentencing, Kingston apologised to the court and said he had learned from his actions. He will begin serving his sentence immediately.

His mother, Janice Turner, was jailed for five years in July.

Defence lawyer Zeljka Bozanic described Kingston as “a soft guy who grew up poor when he rose to fame overnight”, arguing he still had the mentality of a teenager and struggled to manage his finances.