Sean Kingston, the artist behind the hit "Beautiful Girls," and his mother Janice Turner, have been ordered to pay $38,500 in restitution to a victim of their wire fraud scheme. This comes after Kingston was sentenced to three and a half years, and Turner to five years in federal prison for operating an elaborate fraud that netted over $1 million in luxury goods, as per court documents obtained by Local 10 News.
The payment order, directed by U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz, settles claims against one victim, known as "B.C.," who sold an off-road vehicle to Kingston and Turner. According to the Miami Herald, the defense did not contest the restitution amount proposed by prosecutors. The conviction was the culmination of a scheme in which they deceived vendors with fake wire transfers for expensive items, including jewelry and cars. This ruling marks a fall from grace for Kingston, who once enjoyed international acclaim for his music.
The fraudulent activities took place between April 2023 and March 2024, involving faked wire transfers to improperly obtain various luxury goods, as detailed the Hoodline report. The pair was indicted in July of 2024 and were found guilty of five wire fraud-related charges, orchestrated from Kingston's rented mansion in Southwest Ranches. The case agitated the local business community, and sellers of high-end luxury goods specifically, who were targeted by the scam.
In the aftermath of the sentencing, it was stipulated that half of any earnings Kingston makes during his prison term will contribute toward the restitution amount and following his release 10% of his monthly gross earnings, as reported by Local 10 News. Kingston's attorney, Zeljka Bozanic, conveyed her client’s lack of financial acumen and expressed his remorse in a statement obtained by Local 10 News. Meanwhile, Judge Leibowitz remarked on Kingston's acceptance of responsibility, a quality he noted was starkly absent in Turner's case.
Hoodline also highlighted a SWAT team raid on Kingston's property in May 2024, which was a significant development leading to the recovery of several items involved in the scheme.
