Rapper Sean Kingston might be best known for his 2007 hit, “Beautiful Girls,” but now he’ll be remembered for something else: a million-dollar wire fraud scam he ran with his mother involving luxury goods.
Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Paul Anderson, has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison. His mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, has been sentenced to five years.
They were both convicted in March of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Here’s how the scam worked and the red flags to watch for so you don’t fall victim to something similar.
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How the scam worked
The Jamaican-American rapper, who collaborated with Justin Bieber on “Eenie Meenie” back in 2010, used his waning celebrity status to convince luxury sellers to send him high-end merchandise before paying for it.
The scheme involved contacting chic boutiques on social media to arrange the purchase of items from high-end watches to a 19-foot LED TV.
He would invite them to one of his Florida homes, promise to promote their products on social media and even claim he would refer them to other high-profile celebrities, according to federal prosecutors.
When it was time to pay, Kingston or his mother would send a fake wire receipt. Of course, the fund never cleared because it was never sent. And when the sellers tried to follow up, they were ghosted.
According to the warrants, the mom-and-son team stole more than $1 million in luxury goods, including two watches worth $480,000, customized beds worth $86,000 and a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade worth $160,000.
The two were arrested in May 2024 after a SWAT team raided Kingston’s mansion near Fort Lauderdale. The raid occurred after they swindled a tech company out of a 232-inch Colossal TV and sound system worth $115,000.
Read more: Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
Two warning signs to watch out for
For luxury sellers, or any seller, an old saw applies: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
For example, if a celebrity contacts you out of the blue over social media, that should set off alarm bells. More often than not, it’s a scammer using a fake identity. Remember the French woman who lost €830,000 in an AI-generated Brad Pitt romance scam?.
In this case, Kingston really was who he claimed to be, but he used his celebrity status to gain his victims’ trust.
“Too good to be true” can take other forms, such as offering more than your asking price or making promises, such as introducing you to celebrity friends or getting endorsements from them to promote your product.
Another warning sign: if the buyer insists on paying in an unusual way, especially if it’s not normally do business. This includes wire transfers, gift cards, payment apps or cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
If someone pressures you to stray from your standard practices, like demanding you deliver goods before full payment, that’s a red flag.
Best practices for selling high-end items include using trusted resale platforms and secure payment methods such as verified bank transfers. If your spidey senses are tingling, you may want to hit pause on the deal.
What to do if this happens to you
If a payment doesn’t go through, first contact the buyer in case it’s an honest mistake. If they ghost you, send a debt collection letter, followed by a final demand letter if necessary.
At that point, you may need to pursue legal action. Small claims court has limits depending on the jurisdiction, so for high-value merchandise you may have to file a civil lawsuit. Most likely, it will be settled before going to trial.
If you suspect fraud — for example, the buyer sent you a fake wire receipt or counterfeit check — you can also report the incident to local police and the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
In Kingston and Turner’s case, some victims recovered their money after filing lawsuits or getting law enforcement involved. Others may still be able to get their money through court-ordered restitution.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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