Rapper Sean Kingston received a 42-month federal prison sentence this week for masterminding a million-dollar fraud scheme targeting luxury vendors.
The “Beautiful Girls” singer, whose legal name is Kisean Anderson, collaborated with his mother, Janice Turner, to deceive businesses by leveraging his celebrity status.
Prosecutors detailed how the pair lured victims—mostly high-end electronics and furniture suppliers—by promising exposure on Kingston’s social media or referrals to other celebrities.
Once goods like a $160,000 custom TV, designer watches, and a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade were delivered, they sent falsified bank receipts to avoid payment. Most vendors never received compensation, though a few recouped losses after lawsuits or police intervention.
During the trial, evidence included damning text messages where Kingston directed his mother to “make [a] fake receipt.” His defense attorney, Zeljka Bozanic, argued the rapper was unprepared for fame after growing up in poverty, leaving him with “a teenager’s mentality” about finances.
Kingston apologized in court, stating he’d learned from his actions. His mother was sentenced separately in July to five years behind bars. Kingston began serving his sentence immediately following the ruling.
How do overnight stars navigate sudden wealth? For Kingston, the answer came too late.
