Singer/rapper Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, learned on Friday that a Florida court found them guilty of defrauding several businesses. During the hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the court found the pair guilty on all counts in their federal wire fraud trial, NBC News reported.
Kingston and Turner were accused of defrauding various businesses, including a jewelry store, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership and a microLED TV provider.
Kingston allegedly used fake wire transfers for years
According to the indictment, Kingston persuaded the businesses to deliver the items he wanted before making any payments. He and his mother then used fraudulent wire transfers to pay for the items, repeating the scheme for years, the indictment stated.
Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Anderson, was arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May after the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida issued a warrant. His home in Southwest Ranches, a Broward County community, was raided by a SWAT team. In July, a federal grand jury indicted the mother and son.
What’s next: house arrest, jail time and sentencing
They were both left in tears after hearing the verdict. While Kingston did not testify during the hearing, defense attorney Humberto Dominguez spoke in Turner’s defense, saying she was trying to protect her son from people who wanted to take advantage of him. According to Dominguez, she was suspicious of the businesses mentioned in court.
“This case is about a woman’s intuition,” Dominguez said in court, per NBC News.
However, Judge David S. Leibowitz said Turner’s testimony “makes it impossible to believe she wouldn’t do anything for her son.” The judge added that her statements amounted to obstruction, which is why she was remanded into federal custody.
While Kingston was ordered to house arrest, Turner was taken into custody, where she will remain until sentencing. Both are scheduled to be sentenced on July 11.
Kingston was born in Miami but raised in Jamaica. He broke out in 2007 with the hit song “Beautiful Girls.” His other notable songs include “Fire Burning,” “Eenie Meenie” and “Beat It.”
