Sean Kingston has officially been sentenced after being convicted on fraud charges earlier this year.
On Friday, the 35-year-old “Beautiful Girls” hitmaker was handed 3.5 years in prison, according to NBC and the Associated Press. He was immediately taken into custody following the ruling. His mother, Janice Turner, had already received a five-year sentence after both were found guilty in April of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each charge carried a potential 20-year maximum.
Prosecutors revealed that starting in April 2023, Kingston—whose real name is Kisean Anderson—scammed luxury vendors out of more than $1 million by using fake wire receipts. His lawyers argued ahead of sentencing that “most of the victims were paid back,” pushing for house arrest instead.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton didn’t hold back in court, saying, “He’s a 35-year-old man and led a celebrity lifestyle…And can no longer afford that today. He is a thief through and through.” During the trial, Turner admitted to forging transfers to shield her son, with evidence showing a text from Kingston instructing her, “I told you to make [a] fake receipt.”
Kingston’s legal team pointed to similar past cases to support their house arrest plea, arguing that home confinement would still be a significant punishment. They also presented letters from Kingston’s sister and others, including a homeless individual who said the singer once gave them food and clothing.
Still, the court wasn’t swayed. Kingston apologized before sentencing, telling the judge, “I apologize, I apologize, I’ve learned from my actions. All I’m asking for is to accept my apology to the court.”
Despite his attorney requesting a delayed self-surrender due to unspecified health issues, Kingston was taken into custody on the spot.
Among those who testified against him was jeweler Moshe Edery, who said he sold Kingston a $285,000 Audemars Piguet watch. Kingston allegedly sent over a fake wire receipt as payment, which ultimately cost Edery his job.
The singer has yet to publicly comment on the sentence. His latest single, “Good Go Bad” featuring Yung Q, dropped in July.
