Rapper Sean Kingston Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Prison

American rapper Sean Kingston was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for his role in a $1 million fraud scheme. His mother, Janice Turner, was sentenced last month to five years in prison for her involvement

Sean Kingston during his last performance in Jamaica in 2023 (Photo: Cavaughn Edwards)

Rapper Sean Kingston has been sentenced to 3.5 years (42 months) in federal prison, followed by an additional three years of supervised release, for his role in a $1 million fraud scheme alongside his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner.

The sentencing took place on August 15, 2025, in a South Florida federal courtroom, presided over by Judge David Leibowitz.

In March 2025, both Kingsto, whose given name is Kisean Paul Anderson,and his mother were convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Turner was sentenced to five years in prison last month.

During the hearing, Kingston expressed remorse and apologized, but the judge denied his attorney’s request for a delayed self-surrender due to health concerns, ordering him to be taken into custody immediately.

The scheme targeted luxury merchants, including car dealerships, jewelers, and a TV installer. Kingston used his celebrity status to arrange purchases and then submitted fake wire transfer receipts, acquiring items such as a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, expensive jewelry, and a 19-foot (232-inch) LED TV without paying.

His mother, Janice Eleanor Turner (63), was sentenced a few weeks earlier, on July 23, 2025, to five years in prison plus supervised release. Prosecutors described Turner as the "fixer" and central operator of the scheme, while Kingston’s defense portrayed him as financially naive and impulsive.

Kingston is best known for his 2007 chart-topping debut single “Beautiful Girls,” which became a global hit and remains his most iconic track.