Sean Kingston, mom to be sentenced July 11
Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother, 61-year-old Janice Turner, were each found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud on Friday, according to US media reports.
The pair will return to the Florida courthouse on July 11 for sentencing.
The 35-year-old rapper has been confined to house arrest until the sentencing while his mother has been remanded into federal custody.
The two are accused of scamming banks and businesses out of thousands of dollars worth of furniture and jewellery.
Sean Kingston, born Kisean Anderson, was arrested in California in May of last year, hours after his mother was arrested during a raid at his Florida rental home. The Beautiful Girls rapper was later extradited to Florida to answer to the charges.
The Jamaican-American singer faced charges in a $1-million federal fraud case.
The guilty verdict came after just three-and-a-half hours of jury deliberation, reported NBC6 South Florida.
“The defendants unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers… [then] retained or attempted to retain the vehicles, jewellery, and other goods despite non-payment,” federal prosecutors said at the time. “Through the execution of this scheme, the defendants obtained in excess of $1 million in property.”
Both had pleaded not guilty. But in taking the stand on Thursday, Turner admitted to sending fake bank wires and other falsified documents.
She claimed she did so to protect her son from being taken advantage of by scammers and give herself time to look into the people they did business with. She said she had always intended to pay back their debts.
They’re facing up to 20 years in prison on each count.