FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - On Friday, March 28th, a jury found 34-year-old rapper Sean Kingston and his mother guilty on all counts in their federal wire fraud trial.
According to NBC News, the jury delivered its convictions after three and a half hours of deliberation. Arrest warrants state that Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Sean Kingston and his mother, 61-year-old Janice Turner, were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership, and a luxury microLED TV company.
Both were visibly upset as the verdicts were being read. The New York Post reported that Kingston was crying with his hands clasped as the jury read its verdict. Kingston was arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May of 2024 on a warrant issued by the Broward County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) in Florida after a SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches, a community in Broward.
A federal grand jury did not indict the duo until July of 2024. The indictment accused Kingston of using his celebrity influence and social media accounts to convince sellers of luxury goods to deliver items before payment.
The indictment stated that his mother would then often follow up to ensure delivery dates and other details. Payment was then made via fraudulent and worthless wire transfers, while the items were retained by Kingston. According to the indictment, this scheme went on for a few years until March 2024.
After being charged, the pair pleaded not guilty to all counts. During closing arguments on Friday, Turner's defense attorney, Humberto Dominguez said that she was trying to protect her son from people after his money and that she had suspicions about a TV installer, two jewelers, and a car dealership. He said, "This case is about a woman's intuition."
After telling Judge David S. Leibowitz he wanted to "speak his truth" earlier in the proceedings, Kingston change course and decided not to testify.
In court, the federal judge said that Kingston was allowed to post bond and remain out of jail until his sentencing partly because he made the decision to remain silent. Leibowitz said Turner's testimony, which he said amounted to obstruction, was a factor in his decision to remand her into federal custody. He said her testimony "makes it impossible to believe she wouldn't do anything for her son."
Turner was accused by the judge of being the "fixer and nerve center" in charge of the scheme as her past convictions for similar crimes painted her as being in charge of the scheme. She served a year and a half in prison after pleading guilty to stealing over $160,000 in a bank fraud scheme back in 2006.
"Mama Kingston," as she is known on Instagram, was ordered to be held at the Broward County Jail after the judge considered her to be a flight risk because of her testimony during the trial. Kingston's defense described him as a "child" who did not understand finances and would spend the money with no regard.
As his mother was taken into custody, Kingston hugged her and as the US Marshals took Turner into custody, the rapper said, "Protect my mother." Kingston was placed under house arrest and with bond conditions of a $200,000 surety bond in cash. He also has to put up a relative's $500,000 house as part of the bond requirement. As he left the courtroom, Kingston thanked the judge for his fairness.
The duo are accused of stealing almost $500,000 in jewelry, more than $200,000 from Bank of America, $160,000 from the Escalade dealer, more than $100,000 from First Republic Bank, and $86,000 from the maker of customized beds from October 2023 to March 2024. Prosecutors said they had obtained over $1 million worth of possessions through the scheme.
The two face up to 20 years in prison, the maximum for federal wire fraud cases. The sentencing hearings have been set for July 11th.
