Sean Kingston performs onstage as TLC & Shaggy's Hot Summer Nights Tour takes over Miami's FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park on June 03, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Live Nation/Getty Images

Sean Kingston's Mother Sentenced After Duo Found Guilty of High-End Theft Scheme

Originally posted on Music Times
By Madelaine Panganiban | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 10:59 AM ET

Janice Turner, the mother of singer Sean Kingston, has been sentenced to five years in prison after she and her son were found guilty of wire fraud.

The pair were convicted earlier this year for stealing over $1 million through a scheme involving fake payments for luxury goods.

The sentence was handed down in a Florida court on July 23. In addition to her prison time, Turner, 63, will also serve three years on probation. Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, is set to be sentenced on August 28.

According to Vibe, before learning her fate, Turner addressed the judge with a tearful apology. "I'm sorry," she said. "My intention was to keep my son afloat in this difficult industry. They used him and abused him. I am begging for mercy for me and my son."

According to federal investigators, the fraud took place between late 2023 and early 2024.

Turner and Kingston tricked businesses into handing over high-end items—including luxury cars, custom jewelry, and even a designer bed—by claiming they had sent wire payments. But those payments were never actually made.

UPDATE: Sean Kingston’s mother has been sentenced to five years in prison for wire fraud, while Sean himself is set to be sentenced on July 11th. pic.twitter.com/1DRR6xdfY9
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 24, 2025

Janice Turner Gets 5 Years for Luxury Goods Scheme

Investigators say the fraud added up to over $1 million in losses, including nearly $500,000 in jewelry, a $160,000 luxury SUV, and about $86,000 worth of furniture, CBS News said.

The arrests came on May 23, 2024. Kingston was arrested while at Fort Irwin, a military base located in California.

He later returned to Florida after waiving extradition. Turner was taken into custody during a raid at the South Florida mansion that Kingston had been renting.

This wasn't the first time either had been in trouble with the law. Back in 2006, Turner served more than a year in prison for a bank fraud case involving the theft of $160,000.

At the time of his most recent arrest, Kingston was already on probation due to a previous conviction for trafficking stolen property.

Despite her plea for mercy, the court moved forward with Turner's sentence. She will also have to pay restitution, though her legal team said most of the affected businesses have already been repaid.

Sean Kingston rose to fame in 2007 with his chart-topping hit "Beautiful Girls." He later teamed up with pop star Justin Bieber for "Eenie Meenie."

This article first appeared on Music Times and was syndicated with permission.

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