Musician Sean Kingston faces up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in £780,000 fraud case
Sean Kingston, the American rapper and singer, is potentially facing 20 years in jail after being found guilty of fraud.
Unless you're of a certain age, you might not remember the 35-year-old, who shot to stardom when he was just 17 with his number one single 'Beautiful Girls'.
Despite being just a teenager at the time, Kingston sang: "It was back in '99, watchin' movies all the time. Oh, when I went away for doin' my first crime."
He would've been just nine in 1999, but now 26 years on his lyrics appear set to come true.
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His sentencing is still to come but the musician, who is also well known for his award-winning hit 'Fire Burning', could face up to two decades in jail after first being arrested in May last year.
Kingston's mother Janice Turner has also been accused alongside her son of defrauding businesses in a $1 million (£774,173) wire fraud scheme, with the duo found guilty on all five charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
Wire fraud is any form of financial fraud committed with the use of electronic communications, which in Kingston's case involved jewellery, luxury vehicles, and other goods.
The rapper had his home raided after an investigation was sparked over a 17-foot TV installation. He allegedly told the owners that if they agreed to drop the price, he and Justin Bieber would agree to do commercials with them.
Kingston had collaborated with the Canadian singer on 'Eenie Meenie', which was released all the way back in 2010. But Bieber has nothing to do with the alleged crimes, while Kingston has even been accused of name-dropping the 'Baby' singer 'like crazy'.
Back in May 2024 when the rapper was first arrested, attorney Dennis Card accused Kingston of defrauding the Florida company that installed his TV set, which is frankly far bigger than anyone needs.
He told AP: "It is amazing what you can get away with if you are a celebrity.
"He creates this larger than life, 'I am rich' persona. His mother is a necessary component in this.
"He presents himself as a family-oriented guy, 'I’m taking care of my mom' but she knows full well what is going on."
Other allegations against Kingston include tricking a jeweler into giving him a $285,000 watch with the false promise of celebrity introductions and later a falsified screenshot of a wire transfer, Variety reports.
Kingston and his mother will have to wait until July 11 to find out their fate and the singer will remain under home detention until that date.
James Moorhouse