Sean Kingston has gone through so much in his wire fraud case that even his lawyer wanted out due to an "adversarial relationship." Although it's not good news for the singer, he just received his prison sentence following his convictions on federal wire fraud charges stemming from the alleged theft of various luxury items. So at least the saga began to come to a close.
Per Billboard, at a sentencing hearing on Friday (August 15) in Florida federal court, he received a 42-month (three-and-a-half-year) prison sentence from Judge David S. Leibowitz. The judge also sentenced Kingston to three years of probation for his March convictions. While he tried to secure only house arrest due to his community charities and lack of previous convictions, CBS News Miami reports that Judge Leibowitz ruled closer to prosecutors' plans for Sean Kingston.
Restitution hearings later in October and the following months will give him a chance to appeal his convictions. Sean Kingston's mother Janice Turner was also convicted on similar charges, and received a five-year federal prison sentence and three years of supervised release.
For those unaware, their fraud scheme allegedly targeted various vendors and sent them fake wire transfer receipts to avoid payment for luxury goods. Over $1 million allegedly came out of this move, which reportedly included a Cadillac Escalade and a huge LED TV.
Where Is Sean Kingston From?
Sean Kingston's shocking case also got him in conflict with his lawyer Robert A. Rosenblatt. "I am writing to formally request that you cease speaking to the media or any other third parties regarding my case," the Miami-born, Jamaica-raised artist wrote to his attorney. "The information being shared is incorrect and potentially damaging. I also want to remind you of the importance of maintaining attorney-client privilege… Furthermore, do not speak on my behalf to the prosecutor, judge or anyone else from this point forward."
"It is apparent from [Kingston’s] emails and texts that he does not want the undersigned to ‘talk judges or prosecutors’ on his behalf," Rosenblatt responded. "He did not oppose the withdrawal of counsel in the state case. Further, it is clear that irreconcilable differences have terminated the attorney-client relationship to the extent that it has become adversarial."
