Sean Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Paul Anderson, has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison, along with three years of supervised release, according to CBS News Miami and Local 10, for his role in a $1 million fraud scheme.
As the Associated Press reported, Kingston apologized to U.S. Judge David Leibowitz before hearing his sentence and said he had learned his lesson. His lawyer asked that he be allowed to surrender later because of health issues, but the judge ordered him to be taken into custody immediately.
The 35-year-old singer, best known for the hit “Beautiful Girls,” and his mother, Janice Turner, were found guilty in March 2025 of fraud and conspiracy. Turner received a sentence of five years in prison plus three years of supervised release on July 23, according to CBS News Miami and NBC6.
In court, Turner begged for mercy. She told the judge she was only trying “to keep my son afloat in this difficult industry” and claimed that Kingston had been “used” and “abused.”
According to NBC6, Turner may also face deportation to Jamaica, though no final decision has been made.
Her attorney, Humberto Dominguez, said after the sentencing, “It was a hard-fought sentence, so we have mixed feelings on it. We won on some points and obviously lost on some points. All of which will be handled on appeal. Overall, the judge tried to do what was right and what was fair.”
Since being found guilty, Turner has remained in custody. Kingston, however, was released on $100,000 bail after spending a few days in jail because he couldn’t pay right away.
The case started with a raid on their Florida home on May 23, 2024, when Turner was arrested. Kingston was in California at the time and was arrested later that same day.
The raid followed a lawsuit filed by Ver Ver Productions, which accused Kingston of failing to pay for items he bought. The company also claimed he promised to film a promotional video with Justin Bieber, even though the two hadn’t worked together since their 2010 song “Eenie Meenie.”
Prosecutors said Kingston and Turner stole more than $1 million from luxury car dealers, jewelers, and a TV installment company. The defense argued there wasn’t enough proof that they intended to commit fraud and noted that some victims got their property back, NBC6 reported.
Kingston rose to fame with his 2007 hit “Beautiful Girls.” He later scored hits like “Fire Burning” (2009) and “Eenie Meenie” (2010) with Justin Bieber. Even during his legal issues, Kingston kept releasing music. His latest single, “Thick Thighs,” came out in October 2024.
