Singer Sean Kingston and mother Janice Turner convicted in fraud scheme
Singer Sean Kingston and his mom are facing the music for a months-long scheme that federal prosecutors said targeted businesses selling high-end goods and defrauded them of more than $1 million.
A Florida jury found the 'Beautiful Girls' pop star and his 62-year-old mother, Janice Turner, each guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud, according to legal documents reviewed by The Times on Monday. They were convicted less than a year after SWAT officers raided Kingston's rented mansion in South Florida.
Turner remains in custody in Miami and Kingston (born Kisean Paul Anderson) is under house arrest until sentencing, which is set for July 11. The maximum sentence for each charge is 20 years.
A legal representative for the 35-year-old singer and his mother did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment.
SWAT officers descended on Kingston's Florida home last May. The singer and his parent were accused of swindling more than $480,000 worth of jewelry from one person and, from others, a Cadillac Escalade worth nearly $160,000 and furniture costing upward of $86,500. Prosecutors said Kingston and his mother also stole more than $200,000 from Bank of America and more than $100,000 from First Republic Bank — allegations they initially denied.
Turner was arrested during the raid, and Kingston was arrested soon afterward near Ft. Irwin in San Bernardino County. A federal grand jury indicted Kingston and Turner in July. Federal prosecutors said the mother-son duo 'unjustly enriched themselves' by 'falsely representing' they carried out bank wire and other forms of payment for the goods but kept the 'vehicles, jewelry and other goods despite non-payment.' They pleaded not guilty to the charges in August.
The jury reportedly delivered its verdict after 3 1/2 hours of deliberation on Friday. Kingston and his mother dabbed away tears as the verdict came down, according to NBC News. Kingston also urged U.S. marshals to 'protect my mother' as they took Turner back into federal custody, Miami news outlet WPLG-10 reported.
Times editorial library director Cary Schneider contributed to this report.
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