Sean Kingston Sentenced to 3½ Years in Prison Over $1 Million Fraud Scheme
American-Jamaican singer Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison after being convicted for his role in a sprawling $1 million fraud scheme that targeted luxury retailers across the United States.
The ruling was handed down on Friday, August 15, 2025, by a federal court in the Southern District of Florida.
Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Paul Anderson, was found guilty earlier this year of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and multiple counts of wire fraud.
Prosecutors said the 35-year-old singer, working alongside his mother Janice Eleanor Turner, defrauded jewelers, car dealerships, and electronics vendors between April 2023 and March 2024.
The duo acquired expensive items, including a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, luxury watches, and a massive LED television, by presenting fake wire transfer receipts and exploiting Kingston’s celebrity status. In some instances, they promised social media promotion in exchange for goods but never fulfilled the deals.
Kingston was sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. His mother, Turner—who has a prior conviction for bank fraud—was sentenced last month to five years in prison. Both were ordered to pay restitution to their victims.
During Friday’s sentencing, Kingston apologized to the court and expressed regret for his actions, telling the judge he had learned valuable lessons from the ordeal.
His defense lawyers argued that the singer’s early fame left him financially immature and vulnerable, but prosecutors insisted he knowingly abused his public profile to scam businesses.
U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz acknowledged Kingston’s acceptance of responsibility but stressed the seriousness of the fraud. “This was not carelessness—it was deliberate deception,” the judge said, noting the harm caused to victims.
Kingston, best known for his 2007 chart-topping hit “Beautiful Girls”, rose to fame as a teenager but has since faced multiple financial and legal troubles.
His conviction and sentencing mark the most significant legal setback of his career, raising questions about the long-term impact on his music and public image.
He was taken into custody immediately after the ruling, with no option of delayed surrender.
