Sean Kingston Held in Federal Prison Amid Fraud Case

MIAMI – Rapper Sean Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, was recently held for several days in a federal prison after failing to post a $100,000 cash bond following a guilty verdict in a federal wire fraud case. Kingston, 35, was ordered into the custody of U.S. marshals on April 10 and was detained at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, court records show.

According to Zeljka Bozanic, Kingston’s attorney, the bond has now been posted, and he is receiving assistance for his release. The singer’s trial concluded last month in Fort Lauderdale, where he and his mother, Janice Turner, were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and multiple counts of wire fraud involving a scheme that defrauded vendors out of more than $1 million.

The prosecutor’s case revealed a series of fraudulent transactions that occurred between April 2023 and March 2024, which included acquiring luxury items like a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, expensive watches, and a 232-inch LED TV without making payment. Witnesses, including several merchants who claimed to have been swindled, detailed their losses during the trial.

Kingston was subjected to house arrest with electronic monitoring and was required to secure a surety bond against a home worth $500,000, plus $200,000 in cash. His mother, Turner, 61, remains in federal custody and is scheduled to be sentenced alongside Kingston on July 11. They each potentially face up to 20 years in prison for the charges.

In tests of credibility, a key witness, jeweler Moshe Edery, testified about losing $285,000 in a failed transfer involving Kingston, stating, “I’m being scammed,” during the trial proceedings.

Evidence in the case included testimony of how Turner, deemed a flight risk by the judge, orchestrated many of the dubious transactions, while Kingston’s defense portrayed him as unaware of the fraudulent dealings. In a poignant moment after the jury’s decision, Kingston was seen expressing concern for his mother as she was led away by U.S. Marshals.

The trial and subsequent conviction have drawn significant media attention, raising questions about celebrity accountability and the consequences of financial fraud. Further developments are anticipated as their sentencing date approaches.