Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother Janice Turner were found guilty of federal wire fraud after a trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 28.
The two were charged with five counts of wire fraud, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Their sentencing is set for July 11, 2025.
In the United States, wire fraud is a type of fraud using telecommunication or the internet, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Kingston, 35, who rose to fame with the song Beautiful Girls, and his mother, 62, were arrested in California in May 2024 after a SWAT team raided the rapper's mansion in South Florida.
According to prosecutors, the mother and son used Kingston's fame to gain the trust of luxury businesses, but did not pay for the expensive products. The $1M (PhP 57.4M) scam included defrauding a jewelry shop, luxury bed company, and exotic car dealership.
The two denied all allegations.
According to a report by NBC News, Kingston and Turner cried when the verdict was read.
Turner's lawyer, Humberto Dominguez, said that the mother was just trying to protect her child from the alleged fraudulent victim.
Meanwhile, Kingston will remain under house arrest with electronic monitoring, while his mother will remain in federal custody until their sentencing in July.
On Friday, Kingston posted an Instagram story for his mother:
"You are my only queen forever. I love you! I promise, this is not the end!"
