A jury has found rapper Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, guilty of federal wire fraud charges involving over $1 million. The verdict, reached after three hours of deliberation on Friday, marks a significant legal setback for the pair.
The conviction stems from a scheme in which they fraudulently obtained funds through wire transfers. Following the decision, Turner has been remanded into federal custody, awaiting her sentencing scheduled for July 11.
Kingston, meanwhile, will be placed under house arrest and is required to post a bond secured by a home valued at $500,000, along with $200,000 in cash. Both Kingston and Turner are slated to appear in court on July 11 for their sentencing.
Sean Kingston and Janice Turner were found guilty on all charges, related to the fabricated wire transfers to acquire luxury items, including automobiles and jewelry.
Given her criminal history and central role in the fraud, Turner was immediately remanded into custody. Kingston was placed under house arrest until his sentencing.
Sean’s team advocated for his release, highlighting his heart condition and asthma. Meanwhile, his sister is posting $200,000 in bail, while his aunt is providing her home as collateral.
Despite arguments from the defense, prosecutors convinced the jury that Sean Kingston and his mother were “masters of deception and fraud”, resulting in their convictions on conspiracy and wire fraud charges, with each carrying a maximum 20-year sentence.
The key evidence presented during the trial was a text message from Kingston instructing his mother to generate fake wire transfer receipts.
He was arrested in May at a military base in California and subsequently extradited to Florida, where his mother was arrested shortly before him.