Singer Sean Kingston and his mother Janice Turner were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud in a federal trial in Broward County, Florida. The 35-year-old singer will serve house arrest with electronic monitoring, while Turner was taken into custody.
The pair’s sentencing is set for July 11, after the jury reached its decision after three hours and 30 minutes of deliberation. Prosecutors claimed that Kingston and his mother defrauded multiple businesses, including jewelers, a TV installation company, and a high-end car dealership, totaling over $1 million in losses.
Turner’s credibility was questioned due to her testimony, which allegedly raised concerns about her flight risk status. In court, Kingston told U.S. Marshals to “protect my mother” as he was escorted from the courthouse. During the trial, witnesses claimed that Turner would often arrange deliveries and wire transfers, only to send fraudulent ones instead.
The defense argued that there was insufficient evidence of intent to commit fraud, citing some victims who received their money back. Kingston’s team maintained that his mother orchestrated the scheme over several years. The singer, known for hits like “Beautiful Girls,” faces a $500,000 surety bond and must post $200,000 in cash.
Source: https://people.com/sean-kingston-and-mother-found-guilty-in-federal-fraud-trial-11705542