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- [00:00]
A
Audible subscribers can listen to all our episodes of Scamfluencers ad free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
- [00:08]
B
A note to our listeners, this episode contains a brief mention of sexual assault. Please listen with care. Sarah, do you still listen to the radio? Because I feel like I have not really listened to the radio since, like, high school.
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A
Thank you for asking. Because I wake up to a radio alarm clock, an old radio alarm clock, and you will not believe the songs I wake up to.
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B
My God, you do?
- [00:40]
A
Yes, Every morning.
- [00:42]
B
Okay, wow. Well, I wanted to ask you, like, what do you remember from songs on the radio? But I feel like you probably can really answer this.
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A
The songs. Listen, the stuff they were playing before, they're still playing now. Okay. Time is frozen. The stuff that was on the radio when you were listening to the radio last, that is still the number one played music. I woke up. I'm not joking. Evanescence, bring me to life. I swear to God. Okay, great, great, great. Yes, I listen to the radio. Okay, great.
- [01:16]
B
So you're prepped for today's story, which will take us back to my mom's sedan. We're driving to school together. We're listing the Top Hits in 2007 because one of the guys who sang a song that got stuck in your head for an entire semester is actually just another prolific scammer. It's December 17, 2023, and Ariel Mateos is standing in the den of a Fort Lauderdale mansion. The house is brand new and aggressively modern, with white marble floors and massive windows that overlook a backyard pool. Ariel works for Verver Entertainment, a company that sells high end entertainment systems. A few days ago, he installed one of the largest screens they offer, a 232 inch television. Today, he's back to explain to the client how the set works. Apparently, screens this big can be finicky to operate. Once the client signs off on the job, Ariel will get paid. But this isn't just any client. He's arguably an even bigger deal than the television itself. We're talking about R and B singer Sean Kingston. Sarah, you might remember Sean from his smash hit, 2007's Beautiful Girls. Can you sing me a line or two? And if you don't, I'll scream.
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A
You think I'm falling for that? Come on. So that you can make fun of me singing Beautiful Girls forever?
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B
I would never. I have never made fun of anybody in my entire life. I'm just a little baby.
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A
Well, let's just say they'll have you suicidal. These beautiful girls do you remember when
- [02:54]
B
they censored this song because of that line?
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A
Yes. And you know what?
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B
Canadian airwaves were too sensitive for it.
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A
And they were right. But it's. What a strong emotion. A girl so beautiful you want to kill yourself.
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B
I have only ever hoped to meet someone like that.
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A
It's very romantic.
- [03:15]
B
Well, when Ariel first negotiated this deal, Shawn traded heavily on his celebrity status. For instance, he offered to make a promotional video for Vrver with his friend Justin Bieber in exchange for a discount. He even texted Ariel, quote, mark my words, your life is going to change after this. Ariel thought this sounded like a great opportunity. It's good exposure to all of Shawn and Justin's wealthy friends, AKA his ideal customers. So he agreed and only asked for a $30,000 down payment. Now, the remaining balance, another $47,000, is due. But when it's time to settle up, Shaun is nowhere to be found. Ariel is annoyed he has vendors and employees to pay, but it's not like he can just rip this enormous television off the wall and walk out of the house with it. Plus, Sean is a celebrity living in an eight bedroom mansion. Surely he's good for it, right? So Ariel follows up a few days later, but Shawn dodges him again. So Ariel follows up again and again. On December 26, more than a week after their in person meeting, Shawn finally responds with yet another excuse for why the payment hasn't come through.
- [04:27]
A
Sarah, can you read what he texted?
- [04:29]
B
Yes, he texts.
- [04:31]
A
Okay, I'm in Dubai. Time is way different. Let me check with mom. What is this riddle? What am I trying to. How do I get to the bottom of this? Who's mom? His mom.
- [04:43]
B
Well, Sean's mom is also his business manager.
- [04:47]
A
Oh, no.
- [04:48]
B
Yeah, but she's no more helpful than her son. New Year's comes and goes. By mid January, Ariel still hasn't received the money he was promised. Eventually, Sean says he's still out of town, but tells Ariel to stop by his house. His cousin will have a check. When Ariel arrives, Shaun's cousin is there. But he says that he doesn't know anything about a check. At this point, Ariel has had enough. Can you read what he sends Sean next?
- [05:15]
A
Yeah, he says, I'm stopped talking to you. I'll start talking to the world about who you really are. Yeah, I mean, that'll get him.
- [05:23]
B
Yeah. And he means it. Ariel contacts the lawyer and prepares to sue Shawn. What Ariel doesn't realize is that he's not alone. Authorities have begun to notice that Sean has been pulling scams like this for years. This dispute over a luxury television will eventually become part of a much larger federal case, one that threatens to unravel the reputation Sean has built over nearly two decades. Somebody call 911. There's a fire burning in Miami, and it's Sean's life that's about to go up in flames.
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A
Spring just slid into your DMs.
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B
Grab that boho. Look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you and.
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A
And hang some string lights to give
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B
your patio a glow. Up.
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A
Spring's calling, Ross.
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B
Work your magic. From Audible Originals. I'm Sachi Kol.
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A
And I'm Sarah Hagie.
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B
And this is Scamflancers.
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A
Come and give me your attention. I won't ever learn my lesson. Turn my speakers to 11. I feel like a legend.
- [06:30]
B
When Sean Kingston first burst onto the music scene as a teenager, he his image was upbeat and clean cut. He spoke openly about overcoming homelessness and wanting to be a positive role model for his fans. What he rarely discussed was how he ended up on the streets in the first place because his mother and sister had gone to prison for identity theft. Years later, when the profits from Shawn's music career can no longer pay the family's bills, he picks up where his mother left off. He racks up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debts by trading on his name and the names of his celebrity friends. But reputation can only take you so far. Eventually, the goodwill runs out, and when it does, the very fame that once opened doors for Shawn will begin to close in on him. This is Sean. Beautiful lies Legion. To really understand Shawn, we have to start with the woman who raises him, his mom, Janice Turner. Over the course of his childhood, she doesn't exactly model honesty or restraint. Janis is born in St Catherine, Jamaica, in 1963. She later claims that her dad is Jack Ruby, a music producer who worked with acts like Bob Marley, which, if true, would mean she grew up around famous, successful musicians. Though given Janice's complicated relationship with the truth, this claim is difficult to verify. In 1978, when she's about 15, Janis moves to the U.S. eventually settling in Broward County, Florida. In her 20s, she starts having kids. First comes a son, Kurt, and then a daughter, Kanima. In February of 1990, she gives birth to another son, Kishan, who everybody calls Shawn. Janice is essentially raising the kids as a single mom, which makes it even harder for her when Sean turns out to be rebellious. So in 1995, when he's five years old, Janice moves the family back to Jamaica Hoping that her relatives there will keep him in line. That doesn't last. And the family returns to Miami in 1999. Shawn is still rambunctious at school. He's constantly mouthing off to teachers and getting into fights. He's charismatic, but has a temper. The kind of kid who commands a room and disrupts it at the same time. The only thing that seems to center Sean is music. He loves to sing, perform, and write lyrics. As a little kid, he would belt I will always love you so hard that the veins in his neck would stand out. So Janice tries channeling Shaun's energy in a more productive way. She buys him a home studio setup so that he can record himself.
- [09:04]
A
Wow. I mean, that is really supportive of your child's interests and maybe what they're good at.
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B
Pretty cool.
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A
I mean, I know obviously this is an episode of Scamfluencers, but I do think this specific move is nice.
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B
Yeah, I mean, it's an investment. This is the early 2000s, when digital technology is becoming more accessible and affordable. So, you know, for a parent trying to keep a kid out of trouble, it probably does feel like a worthwhile expense. And around this time, Janice launches a business called Dynamite Boutique. But by early 2004, she's facing financial troubles. One of her investors takes her to small claims court over unpaid debts, which means Janice needs to find a new way to bring in money. Through her church. She meets a woman named Immaculata, who mentions she's interested in buying a house. Janice sees an opportunity. So she tells Immaculata that she works in real estate and offers to help. As far as we know, Janice doesn't even have a real estate license. But she must seem credible, because Immaculata sends her sensitive personal information, the kind needed to run credit checks and secure financing for a mortgage. But instead of helping her buy a home, Janice uses this information to open a checking account and a $7,500 line of credit in Immaculata's name. She also applies for a $41,000 car loan to purchase a Mercedes Benz S500. Within days, Janice writes thousands of dollars worth of checks from her fraudulent account. A few weeks later, she secures another loan, this time for a Mercedes C class. By February 2005, Janice has bought four cars on Immaculata's dime. Janice isn't acting entirely alone. She deposits some of the cash into her daughter Kanima's bank account. And 19 year old Kanima helps pick up at least one of the new cars from the dealership.
- [10:54]
A
I mean, this is pretty crazy scamming that was set off just because she met someone who needed to buy a house. Like, she goes so far, but also, it's so twisted to have your teenage daughter, who is an adult but still a teenager, in on this scam. Like, implicating her is so terrible.
- [11:13]
B
Yeah, it's not great. But for about six months, Janice is riding high. But then in June 2005, she and Kanima are indicted on charges of making false loan applications and committing bank fraud. Immaculata finally checked her credit report and discovered loans that she hadn't taken out. And once she contacted the feds, they were able to figure out what was going on pretty quickly. They were also able to obtain surveillance footage of Janice and Kanima at banks and car dealerships. Both women ultimately plead guilty. Kanima gets probation, but Janice is sentenced to 16 months behind bars, which means she has to leave 15 year old Shawn in the care of friends and relatives. Janice hasn't been setting the healthiest example for her son. And now that Shawn is forced to fend for himself, he'll be left to make his own way. Drawing from the same mix of moral flexibility he's seen modeled at home. It's early 2006, and somewhere in Miami, 16 year old Shaun Kingston is falling asleep on a bus bench. In some ways, Shawn looks older than he is. He's 6 foot 3 and stocky. But his soft, sweet baby face gives away that he's still a teenager. Sean is supposed to be staying with family while his mom is incarcerated, but that hasn't been going well. He's angry and lost and has no desire to be under anyone's thumb. His mom will later say that he was, quote, so unruly that he left and went off on his own. Even though he chose to leave, it's still scary to be on the streets. So Shawn resolves to never be in this situation again. He decides that he needs to get rich. So rich that when his mom gets out of prison, he can pick her up in her dream car, A red Continental GT with tan seats.
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A
Yeah, I mean, that is not a healthy motivation. To want to get rich is so that you can impress your mom when you pick her up from prison.
- [13:10]
B
I guess there are worse reasons though, aren't there? Well, Shawn's plan is to become a famous musician. At this point, he's primarily rapping, not singing. And he's performing under the name Franchise. Now, this is 2006, so if you're an aspiring artist who wants to break out, you're using MySpace think of it as the early Aughts version of TikTok. Musicians post their tracks, build followings, and if they're lucky, catch the attention of industry leaders. Sean starts posting his music there regularly. He also finds music executives on the site and slides into their DMs. Here he is years later, describing his strategy for reaching out to JR Rotem, a producer who's known for working with artists like 50 Cent, Rihanna, and Rick Ross.
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C
I sent him a message like, yo, please take your time out to check out my music, man. That's all I'm asking for. I'm not asking for much. I just really want you to listen to my music, tell me what you think. I mean, I've been through a lot. I mean, I just really want you to take your time out to listen to my music. I copy and paste that message and send it to him five times a day.
- [14:09]
A
You know, there's so many stories like this where someone's just like. They're like, no shame. I'm gonna email them 100,000 times, and eventually they'll respond because they'll get annoyed as me. And you know what? It usually doesn't work. Respect. I gotta say, respect to Sean Kingston.
- [14:24]
B
Yeah, I mean, Shawn is tenacious, and he decides that if he wants to be taken seriously, he needs to be where the industry is. So he heads to Los Angeles, where his older brother Kurt and some other relatives can offer him a couch to sleep on. Teenage Shawn arrives with just $300 in his pocket and an enormous amount of confidence. And Sarah, he's got a reason to think that this will work. Thanks to his Internet hustling, his song Life Is hard hits number 20 on MySpace's indie charts. It's enough to get JR's attention. The producer finally writes back to Shawn and invites him to come perform in person. Shawn takes two buses to get to Culver Heights, where JR's office is. It's intimidating to meet his hero, much less perform for him. But JR seems to like what he hears. Before long, he offers to sign Shawn to his record label and pay him a $100,000 advance. Shawn has gone from rags to riches in the blink of an eye, and his hard work and determination are about to be rewarded. A few months later, Sean is heading back to JR's studio. Only this time, he's not riding the bus. Instead, he's spending some of his advance on a cab. As they drive through Los Angeles, the driver is blasting the classics on the radio. Right now, it's Benny King's Stand By Me. Sean can't get the song out of his head, and when he arrives at the studio, he mentions it to JR no one's ever sampled it before, he says. Isn't that wild? Maybe they should try something with it. So they do. They start building a track around the song's famous progression. At first, the working title is Suicidal, but eventually they rename it Beautiful Girls. It marks a major shift for Sean. It's the first song where he sings instead of rapping.
- [16:13]
A
Yeah. I mean, I think it speaks to his genuine talent that he hears a song and is like, wait a second. No one's ever sampled it. Maybe we should. It's familiar. Everyone loves it. Everyone knows it.
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B
Yeah.
- [16:24]
A
And that's how we get Beautiful Girls. Yeah.
- [16:27]
B
I mean, listen, it was an earworm. And his team is so excited about the song that they decide to scrap everything they've recorded so far and reposition him as a singer. They also change his stage name, since Franchise doesn't really match his new, softer vibe. JR Is the one who suggests the name Sean Kingston. He wants everyone to know that this kid is from Jamaica. It turns out to be the right move. When Beautiful Girls is released in May 2007, it blows up. Even beating out Rihanna's Umbrella for the top spot on the charts, Shawn suddenly finds himself opening for artists like Gwen Stefani and Beyonce. His public image is very polished and clean cut. In interviews, he promises he'll never curse in his music and talks earnestly about wanting to be a positive role model. He's also an ambitious businessman. He forms a record label and starts signing talent to it as soon as he can. Of course, he can't resist a little flossing. He's still a teenager, after all. Here he is vlogging for the website WorldStarHipHop in 2008. Like, come on, man.
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C
Like, you see what I'm rocking right now? Like, I'm rocking. Let me show you. Look at this. That's a diamond link, my dude. You know what I'm saying? Like, I can't even lie. Look at the watch. Come on. Look at the ring. Look at the watch.
- [17:42]
A
I mean, yeah, that's kind of what it was at the time, you know, There was no Instagram, so you had to go to WorldStarHipHop and do, like, a little video showing everything at once, you know?
- [17:53]
B
Yeah. Nothing worse. But while he may be keeping his lyrics clean, he is straight up lying about his personal story to make it sound more compelling. Like, Shawn regularly talks about how he grew up learning about the music industry. From his famous producer grandfather. But he died before Shawn was born. Shawn also emphasizes his time being homeless, but rarely clarifies that he was on the streets because he ran away from the place where he was supposed to be staying. Shawn also claims that his fame helps his mom receive better treatment while she's in prison, and that when she's released in late 2007, he's able to live out his fantasy of picking her up in her dream car. But according to court records, Janis was actually released from prison in March, a couple of months before Beautiful Girls debuted. His career looks like a miracle at this point. A kid with 300 bucks and a MySpace page who becomes a chart topping success. But the instability of his earlier life hasn't disappeared. It's just been papered over with a number one hit and press coverage. And now that he has fame and fortune, he also has something new, something to lose. One thing no one can take away from Sean is his work ethic. He releases his second album in 2009, two years after his first. It doesn't match his early success, but he does manage to produce another top five single, Fire Burning. A year later. At just 20 years old, Shawn is already recording a third album, which includes a collab with Justin Bieber. Shawn will later claim that around this time, the temptations of fame begin to get the better of him. He starts partying and says that Justin turns him on to Lean, which is a mixture of codeine, cough syrup, soda and candy. Whether or not substances are to blame, the momentum he once had starts to stall. His track with Bieber, Eenie Meeny Miny Mo Lover, peaks at just number 15 on the billboard charts. It's respectable, but hugely disappointing for someone hoping a Bieber collaboration would catapult him back to the top. At this point, Sean hasn't had a real hit in a couple of years. He's also growing increasingly frustrated with his label and feeling constrained by the contracts he signed when he was a 16 year old trying to get his foot in the door. He wants more creative control, so he delays releasing the album he's been working on. While he tries to make that happen, Shawn's frustrations seem to start showing up in other parts of his life. In 2010, while performing in Seattle, Shawn meets a 19 year old fan at the meet and greet and brings her back to his hotel. Later that night, the fan files a police report accusing Shaun and two others of raping her. Sean denies the allegation, but his story is inconsistent. Sometimes he claims they had consensual sex. Other times, he says, nothing happened between them at all. The police ultimately decide the fan isn't a credible witness and decline to press charges. Still, the incident adds to a growing pattern of volatility. And it won't be the last time Sean's poor judgment lands him in trouble. But next time, his recklessness won't just be a reputational risk. It will threaten his life.
- [21:07]
A
I feel like a legend.
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B
It's May 2011, nearly a year after Shawn allegedly assaulted a fan in Seattle. Now 21, Shawn is off the coast of Miami on the water, surrounded by friends. He's been partying all day, and he's currently sitting on a jet ski alongside a beautiful girl named Cassandra. Sean revs the engine and slams on the gas. The beach, his friends, and the other jet skis all disappear from sight. He can feel Cassandra behind him, clinging and yelling something in his ear. Shaun looks ahead and realizes he's rocketing straight towards a low bridge. He jet skis out here all the time, but right now, the tide is higher than he's used to, and there's no way he can get underneath the bridge. The wind is whipping in Sean's face as the jet ski barrels ahead. He tries to turn, but he's going too fast. Like 70 miles an hour too fast, and it's too late. The world goes black. The next thing Sean knows, he's waking up in the hospital. They did, in fact, hit the bridge. Cassandra made it out without any major damage, but Shawn's lungs were crushed, and he arrived at the ICU in critical condition. Doctors are able to stabilize him, And Shaun spends 11 days recovering in the hospital. Then, just as the doctors start talking about discharging him, Shawn feels a sudden stabbing pain in his chest. He calls for help. Before losing consciousness, Doctors discover that Shawn had torn his aorta. He undergoes open heart surgery and spends nearly two more weeks in the hospital doing intensive rehab and physical therapy. Finally, Shawn is cleared to go home. Shawn's brush with death is national news. Once he's well enough, he talks to a Today show reporter about surviving the gruesome crash and open heart surgery.
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A
This happened, and you nearly die twice.
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C
Yeah.
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A
Why do you think you lived?
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C
I think my work is not done. I think it was just like, you know, it wasn't my time yet.
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A
I remember this. Oh, my God. I just remembered it was a huge deal. I mean, everyone legitimately thought he was going to die. It was like one of those miraculous recoveries, right?
- [23:23]
B
Yeah. It was a bad accident. And publicly, Sean frames the incident as a second chance. But privately, the aftermath is really hard on him. The sound of the ocean makes him anxious, which is a big problem when you live on the water. And he doesn't seek therapy to help with what seems like post traumatic stress. Instead, he leaves Florida and moves to la. He also hands over control of his business affairs to someone he his mom. And almost immediately, problems begin to surface. In 2012, the landlord of the Miami mansion Shawn had been renting sues him and his mom, alleging that they trashed the place, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage. He also claims they broke their lease by moving out early. Sean and Janice don't respond to the lawsuit, which means it goes against them. By default. They have to pay the landlord $55,000. That kind of debt wouldn't be a big deal if Shawn's hits were making bigger headlines than his legal fees. But they're not. In 2013, two years after the jet ski accident, Shawn finally releases his third album. It features Wiz Khalifa, but commercially, it's a bomb. At this point, Shawn is more reliably on TMZ than on mtv.
- [24:39]
A
It's really funny because I haven't really ever thought about his music career outside of Beautiful Girls. I just kind of assumed he was a one hit wonder, but I didn't realize how hard he was trying to make something happen and how, you know, he had, like, these legitimate songs with people who were really popular at the time and it just never quite worked out.
- [24:58]
B
Yeah. And while he's trying, Shawn's legal issues accumulate. The woman who accused him of rape back in 2010 files a civil lawsuit. Shawn settles out of court, claiming that it's not because he did anything wrong. He just doesn't have time to deal with litigation right now. Shawn is back in the news again in 2014, this time for allegedly beating up a club promoter over a late payment. A few months later, one of his cars is repossessed outside of a club on the Sunset strip. Then in 2015, Avi Davidoff, who goes by Avi de Jeweler, sues Sean. He alleges that over the last few years, Sean has purchased more than $200,000 worth of jewelry without paying. According to Avi, he and Shawn were close, and he repeatedly gave Shawn the benefit of the doubt. But at this point, he's fed up with waiting for his money. Shawn's people tell TMZ that Shawn has absolutely paid Avi for his bling, but he never files any court paperwork to prove it. So once again, a default judgment is Settled against Shawn, and he has to pay Avi back. Of course, Sean has an explanation for why he keeps ending up in debt.
- [26:04]
C
If I'm late on one payment, it's not, I'm late on the payment because I don't have the money to pay you. I'm late on the payment because my mom handles my business, and she's all over the place doing the main things at once. Because I don't have a business manager.
- [26:17]
A
That is because you're late on the payment, though. Like, you can't say it's my mom's fault because I don't have a business manager. She is your business manager manager. And she's late paying it back.
- [26:26]
B
It also doesn't matter why you're late on the payment. If you're late on the payment, you're late.
- [26:31]
A
There's clearly some sort of mental stuff happening between him and his mom, that's for sure.
- [26:36]
B
Yeah, it's weird, isn't it? Sean may claim that he's completely innocent, but he's about to get into even more legal trouble. And this time, there's no way for him to pretend that he isn't scamming on purpose. It's late July 2016, a little more than a year since Sean defaulted on the Avida jeweler lawsuit. Sean is at a store called Aquamaster in New York's Diamond District. He's 26, and his commercial peak may be behind him, but he still loves expensive chains, watches, and rings. One by one, he picks out pieces for himself. A rose gold watch with 25 carats worth of diamonds. A tennis necklace sporting 35 carats, a Cuban link ring and bracelet. By the time he's finished, the total for his nine items is around $300,000. Now, even famous musicians don't walk around with that kind of cash on them. So sean pays a $1,000 deposit. He tells the store that his business manager will wire the rest of the money in the next day or two. Once that's done, he'll return to collect his purchases. But instead of arranging a wire transfer, Sean has someone from the record label he owns deposit a $270,000 check into AquaMaster's bank account. Then his mom writes a check for $31,500 to cover the remaining balance and deposits it as well. A few days later, Sean returns to Aquamaster and tells them to verify his payments. When they log into their account, they see the pending funds, so they give Sean his jewels. Aquamaster assumes this is a wire transfer, which can't be undone but it isn't. The cash that Sean deposited is a mirage. It's all from checks that are about to bounce. When Aquamaster notices that $300,000 has gone missing from their bank account, they sue Sean, Janice, and both of their companies for the missing money.
- [28:31]
A
You know, it's clear he has this real fake it till you make it energy right now. I don't know if it's because he legitimately believes he will make it and that people will just kind of ignore this because he'll get so successful, but I do think that he's just insanely entitled. Yeah.
- [28:51]
B
Yeah, he is. And once again, Shawn ignores the charges against him. Unfortunately, the media does not. Though he hasn't had a hit in years, Shawn continues to give good content. So in early 2017, TMSEY catches up to him at an airport and gets him on record bragging about how the diamonds he's wearing are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sean offers an explanation for why people should be mad at his jewelers and not at him.
- [29:18]
C
Everybody goes through that.
- [29:19]
B
Totally.
- [29:20]
C
You're gonna have a time in your career where stuff gets slowed down and, you know, you're not doing as much shows, and the jeweler is supposed to be able to say, okay, you know what? Since you spent over a million, let me wait till you everything, you know, get right, and just be like, okay, cool.
- [29:31]
B
Okay.
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A
So his rationalization is that the jeweler should believe in him. Like, because he was once successful, the jeweler should believe in him enough that he will be successful again and be able to pay him back because he once did spend that money. Yeah, that's not how it works. That is crazy. That is an insane thing to say out loud. It's like, they should know, I will get rich again. What? No, they don't, idiot.
- [29:57]
B
Yeah, it actually gets even worse because he also talks about how all jewelers are family, which is likely a reference to how New York's diamond district is largely run by orthodox Jews. So Sean's comments are anti Semitic at worst and, like, really dumb and weird at best. In 2018, the judge in the Aquamaster case files a default judgment against Janice and Sean and orders them to pay the $300,000 they owe. this point, Shawn's options are limited. He's still bound to his original record contracts, the ones that don't give him the kind of creative freedom he wants. And right now, he's better known for his legal disputes than his hits. So he decides to spend a few years laying low writing music for other artists. And staying out of the limelight. Sean is a legitimately talented songwriter. His credits include Jason Derulo's hit Whatcha say and Ayaz's Replay, amongst other hits. But generating success for others isn't enough. Shawn craves the spotlight. Writing hit songs for other people just doesn't hit the same as being on stage. Shawn is determined to make a comeback, and when he does, he'll claim to be a changed man. But Shawn is still up to all of his old tricks. And this time he might be finding a few new ones too. Three years later, in 2021, Sean is sitting in a white room lined with chain link fencing. He's wearing a short sleeved black button down and of course a diamond encrusted watch. He's here today to give his first big interview in years for Adam22's Hip Hop podcast, no Jumper. Sitting next to Shawn is his new manager, a music industry veteran who goes by the name Wang. Seems distracted, but Shawn is still happy to have him here. Because this is Shawn's career relaunch. He spent the last few years mostly behind the scenes making music for other artists and licking his wounds. It was frustrating to hear people call him a one hit wonder or ask why he doesn't make music anymore, when in reality he's been writing songs this whole time. So Sean's been self soothing the way he always does with diamonds and gold. Last year he was charged with grand theft over non payment for, you guessed it, more jewelry and more watches. But now he's ready to focus on the future. He explains that Wang helped free him from his restrictive record industry contracts. Sean adds that he signed with a new label and that he used his advance to settle old debts. He even offers advice to younger artists.
- [32:28]
C
Now I got a testimony I could inspire new artists and show them the way and let them know you don't gotta get all that jewelry, you don't gotta get all that invest in some property.
- [32:38]
A
This is total bullshit. I don't know why he's still hanging on to this idea that he can inspire people and is inspirational and is someone to look up to, because he clearly isn't. And also it's like nothing really bad happened to him in his career. He didn't have hits and then he still got an opportunity to do songwriting, which is really lucrative. Yeah, like I'm trying to see what he thinks he deserves because this is better than basically anyone who tries to enter the music industry. Also, why is he telling people to not buy jewelry he can't even afford? It, and he's still buying it. Someh telling people they don't need it. What? Come on.
- [33:13]
B
Yeah, it doesn't really make any sense. And the interview doesn't even help the sales numbers for Shawn's new album. When it comes out a few months later, it flops. At this point, Shawn's career is basically a nostalgia play. Luckily for him, nostalgia is a hot commodity. Even though he hasn't had a hit since the early 2000s, he still gets invited to play festivals and concerts, including a trip to art Basil. And he gets paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for these appearances. So he's earning plenty. But he's spending plenty, too. Almost every dollar he earns. And despite what he said on the podcast, Sean's appetite for luxury goods hasn't slowed down. Only now, his methods for acquiring them change. Instead of depositing and then canceling checks, he sends fabricated wire transfer receipts meant to reassure sellers that his payment has been initiated. Sean does this so often that by November 2021, his mom texts him with a warning. Can you read it, Sarah?
- [34:09]
A
She writes, quote, lawyer says if one more jeweler says anything, they will treat it as a criminal case. Really? It's like, one more. I don't know. I feel like that there's been kind of enough. He's flying so close to the sun.
- [34:25]
B
Well, Sean seems unbothered. Instead, he responds by asking for her help in making just one more fake wire transfer receipt to pay a man for yet another watch. Janice chastises him for spending money he doesn't have when he's supposed to be working on his album, but she still agrees to help. He's putting her in a weird position since she's his mom and his employee. Shaun's plan is to tell the jeweler that he's filming a music video with Justin Bieber today, but he isn't. He gives his mom the jeweler's number and tells her to text him first thing in the morning to say shooting is delayed because Justin has the flu. Shawn is hoping the guy will think that he's been paid and gets sick of hanging around so he'll just get out of Miami and leave Shawn with a free watch.
- [35:11]
A
I mean, this is just such an elaborate lie for a free watch. Yeah, it's such a long story, and all he wants people to hear is Justin.
- [35:20]
B
Yeah, I mean, it's a lot of work for just, like, a piece of jewelry. And worse is, once they have that settled, Sean asks his mom to send him 200 bucks so he can buy some headphones Sean has a system in place, and it hasn't failed him yet. Sure, sometimes he gets taken to court, but the only consequence is paying back whoever he owes money to. And sometimes the court doesn't follow up enough to even force him to do that. But the accusations are piling up. And when Shawn hires Ariel Mateos to install that massive TV a few years later, he basically signs the warrant for his own arrest. It's May 2024. Sean is at Fort Irwin, an army training base, Mojave Desert, for a performance. He's waiting for the meet and greet when he hears some shocking news. Federal agents have raided the Florida home he shares with his mother, and Janice has been arrested and charged with theft and wire fraud. As soon as he hears the news, Shawn knows the jig is up. But there's no escaping a literal army base. All he can do is wait for agents to show up and arrest him, too. Sean's faced legal trouble before, but this time, things are different. First of all, these charges are criminal, not civil, which could mean jail time. And prosecutors are alleging that he and his mom stole nearly a million dollars worth of luxury goods. Shawn is able to post bail pretty quickly, but when he checks his phone, the nightmare only gets worse. His arrest is all over TMZ and social media. It's like he's watching his youthful dream being taken apart in front of him all over again. But he wants to keep up a cheerful facade. So that afternoon, he posts on his Instagram. Sarah, can you read what he says?
- [37:03]
A
Yeah, he says, people love negative energy. I'm good, and so is my mother. My lawyers are handling everything as we speak. I don't know if you can chalk that down to negative energy. It is a thing that's actually happening. Like, yeah, you know, there's not, like, an energy being put out. You did something.
- [37:23]
B
Yeah, it's pretty real. Well, Sean keeps this act up as the legal proceedings start and even uses local news footage of his mom's arrest in a music video. I'm going to play you a little bit of it, Sarah. Can you describe it?
- [37:37]
A
What is going on with these people? I just don't know what he's trying to say. Like, I guess it's like, why? Why was my mom arrested? But, like, that's pretty humiliating for his mom to have that footage in his music video. And then, like, in the next scene, he's, like, trying on a grill or something. Yeah, I feel like he's really exploiting the situation in a way that makes him look worse, but he thinks Is like, good for his career. I mean, it's not even like a cool crime, you know? Like, come on, he needs a crime
- [38:03]
B
where he can flick a cigarette in public.
- [38:05]
A
Yes. It's one that is in movies as a thing. That's cool.
- [38:08]
B
Yeah. Well, Sean has gone from the spotlight of fame to the crosshairs of federal law enforcement. His promising career and his clean cut image are about to be tested in the court of law and public opinion.
- [38:28]
A
I feel like a legend.
- [38:33]
B
It's August 2024, and at midday, Miami is sticky with heat. Janice Turner winces as she steps outside of the air conditioned courthouse and into the humid air. She and Sean are both dressed for court in crisp white button downs. They're leaving an arraignment for their trial. Together they've been charged with six counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. At the bottom of the courthouse steps, Janice spots a small camera crew from a local news station. Usually she loves it when people pay attention to Sean, but not today. She doesn't want any publicity for this perp walk. Their cars are parked around the corner from where the reporters are waiting. So she and Sean. Sean try something unexpected. They literally make a run for it, trying to reach the cars before anyone sees them. It doesn't work. A crew from WPLG Local 10 rushes after them, giving chase. Shawn, it looks ridiculous running like that, man. Come on. Shaun manages to duck into a waiting Escalade without saying a word. Janice is right behind him, her red sandals slapping hard on the sidewalk. She's furious and she wants the reporters to know it, so she yells bye and flips him the bird as she runs away.
- [39:44]
A
Okay, that's pretty funny. Gotta hand it to her, that's a funny reaction and makes for every reporter's dream clip. Really?
- [39:52]
B
Yeah, she really gave it to them. Well, a few Months later, on March 27, 2025, the trial begins. Throughout the proceedings, Janice and Shawn try to project calm, like this is all just a big misunderstanding. Sean walks in and out of the courthouse carrying a bible, and the only comments he gives to reporters are thanks to his fans for supporting him. But inside the courtroom, the testimony starts to pile up and there are a lot of witnesses. Like this jeweler who Shawn lied to about the Bieber music video. Ariel, who installed that massive tv. A luxury car salesman, a family friend who sometimes manages Sean, and even a second jeweler. At some point, Janice decides to take control of the narrative by taking the stand in her own defense. It's a notoriously dangerous legal strategy, and it's a last Minute decision. Her lawyer warns repeatedly that she doesn't have to do this, But Janice wants to tell her side of the story.
- [40:51]
A
I am so irate right now. Nothing bothers me more than when people think in a legal setting, someone needs their side of the story. No, no, no, no, no. You don't need to talk, okay? You're the one who's in trouble with mounting evidence. You cannot talk your way out of this, you idiot. Don't speak.
- [41:10]
B
Well, at first it goes smoothly because she's being questioned by her own lawyer. Janice makes sure to emphasize that 35 year old Shawn is financially irresponsible and doesn't always understand how much money he has or doesn't have. She also says that people are constantly trying to take advantage of him and that it's her job as a mother to protect him. So when she thinks Shawn might be getting into a shady business deal, say, buying a several hundred thousand dollars watch from some guy he met online, her alarm bells go off. That's when she might have her accountant create a fake wire receipt to send off to the guy. Then the seller will give Shawn the watch and go away, giving her time to investigate him and make sure he's legit. If the seller checks out, then she'll actually pay him what he's owed.
- [41:58]
A
I don't know what universe these people think they exist in. Like, I don't even know what else to say. The things they think people will accept as an excuse and be like, oh, that's what you were doing. Like, are you crazy? Are these people crazy?
- [42:16]
B
Well, the opposing lawyer doesn't seem to buy it either. Not even when Janice explains that she has her accountant print pending on the fake wire transfer receipts that she sends. Well, most of them. Sometimes they just said sent instead.
- [42:30]
A
Whoops.
- [42:31]
B
The cross examination does not go as well. Janice tries to explain that she was only trying to protect her son from swindlers and groupies. She says this stuff happens in the music industry all the time, but the prosecutor doesn't seem to get it. Janice adds that Shawn's label frequently fails to pay her and that when this happens, she files a civil lawsuit to get her money back. None of this aggressive criminal nonsense. But the prosecutor keeps hammering on about how she took stuff from people without paying. Janice does her best, but by the end of her testimony, she seems frustrated and annoyed and maybe even a little rattled because this did not land the way she had hoped. Janice has done so much to influence the course of her son's life, and this may have been the Most impactful and destructive move of all. The next day, Sean sits in court waiting to find out his fate. He has to know that his mom's testimony yesterday didn't exactly help. And when the jury comes back after only three hours, well, it's not looking good. But still, hearing the verdict is a gut punch. When the judge declares that Shawn has been found guilty, he bursts into tears.
- [43:43]
A
Yeah, I mean, I wonder how much this was like a reality shattering moment for him because, you know, him and his mom seem to really be in denial about their crimes. So I do think there was like a part of him that knew there was no chance, but also hoped maybe people would be like, oh, they're good people and he'll be famous again.
- [44:00]
B
Yeah. Well, Shawn is released on a $100,000 bond. While he waits for sentencing, Janice isn't so lucky. The judge seems to think that she's a flight risk based on her testimony. As sentencing approaches, Shawn and his team submit a memo asking for leniency. Some of the letters are genuinely moving. For instance, a family friend talks about how Shawn once babysat her son so she wouldn't have to miss work while he was sick. And an 11 year old neighbor describes the time that Shawn helped him fix his bike. His sister Kanima also speaks highly of Shaun's character and generosity. She blames a lot of Shawn's problems on his jet ski accident and the fact that he never got therapy after his near death experience.
- [44:41]
A
While I'm sure that did not help the problem, I don't think it was just because of the jet ski accident, which I'm sure was terrible, but you know. Yeah, come on.
- [44:51]
B
Well, Kanima also writes in support of Janice, praising her mother's generosity, selflessness, and deep faith. What she doesn't mention is the time that her mother pulled her into her own criminal activity. As the case progresses, Shawn's money troubles continue. By June, his attorney has dumped him for being unable to pay his bills and and suggests that Shawn might need a public defender. But ultimately, Shawn finds someone who's willing to take on his case. In August, sentences are handed down. Janice gets five years, while Shawn receives three and a half. Shawn's new lawyer almost immediately files an appeal. But he can't stop Shawn from reporting to the federal detention center in Miami. Shaun refuses to let lockup make him disappear. In September, he calls into a South Florida radio show. Here's Sean talking to the host, Papa Keith, about how being in prison has actually been a blessing.
- [45:45]
C
God does stuff in different ways. We're different reasons, and I felt like he sat me down to get my mind right and get back focused and get back right. I'm trying to go. This call is from a federal prison.
- [45:58]
A
Um, yeah. I'm sure everything that happens to him is actually a blessing because it's teaching him to be better. This guy just can't take the lyrics. You committed crimes, and now you're in prison. You were a scammer.
- [46:09]
B
Well, Sean claims that he has tons of music ready to release when he gets out. He says he's also working on a book about the truth of what happened to him. As of this recording, Sean is still in prison, and his appeal is in process. But just in case, he recently came up with a new strategy asking Donald Trump for a pardon. His plea includes letters from rappers Safaree and Soulja Boy, as well as prank YouTuber Jack Doherty, who originally went viral for flipping two markers at once. Jack writes that Shawn and his mom got caught up in what he calls a, quote, complex business misunderstanding, and says that criminalizing something like this isn't the America he believes in. Like so many cultural artifacts from the early aughts, Sean's rise now seems somehow hollower and more naive in retrospect. Maybe that's what makes the fall feel inevitable. Chan wanted to be seen as an inspiring story worthy of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. But in the end, his story is more suited for a show like Scamfluencers. I love when weird figures from the aughts did crime, because it's like, I kind of want to think about you again, and you've given me a reason.
- [47:22]
A
A part of me thought I would maybe empathize with him a bit more because maybe there was a scheme he got wrapped up in. But I think how easily he fell into scamming when he wasn't getting number ones, to me is telling that, like, he just felt very much that he was owed something.
- [47:38]
B
Yeah. I think what's so stupid about this particular scam is it's like you were already kind of famous, and when you're famous, people just, like, give you stuff, and there's always a way to scam your way into, like, a gifting room.
- [47:51]
A
Yes, exactly.
- [47:53]
B
At, like, a lousy award show. And he was running a scheme for, like, not enough money. Like, $300,000. Like a $300,000 watch here and there. That's not enough.
- [48:04]
A
Also, it's like, no one was paying attention to you. You having this thing that will show up and maybe one photo that someone takes of you won't like. What do you think that's gonna do? People are gonna take you seriously. There was no greater, like, oh, let's make this last. Like, let's have some longevity here. Let's even turn it into a Ponzi scheme. It was, like, so direct in this weird way.
- [48:25]
B
Yeah. I mean, do you kind of feel sorry for him? Cause it seems like he came by this through his mom, who was really keyed up to pull some of this stuff.
- [48:34]
A
I feel bad for him, but, you know, it gets to a point where you can't really blame Mommy anymore. It was all very, very avoidable. And again, he did find success. I don't think everyone who's had a quote, unquote, one hit wonder can successfully start writing big top 100 hits. So to me, his circumstances never got bad enough to do what he did.
- [48:57]
B
I feel like his is a story about someone who couldn't be gratified by just being a producer or being a songwriter. Like, it needed to be him. It had to be him front and center. I mean, like, scamming for the kinds of diamond jewelry that you wear as a rapper is a very particular kind of ploy.
- [49:14]
A
I feel like the strategy could have been more hanging around the right people for long enough. The Justin Bieber face didn't last long enough.
- [49:21]
B
Do you feel like you learned any lessons today?
- [49:24]
A
Yes. Don't fake it until you make it. People say that all the time, but, yeah, it rarely does work for people. Like, it rarely works to fake it till you make it, because you're going to have to deliver at some point.
- [49:36]
B
Fake it after you make it.
- [49:38]
A
Yeah, absolutely. I wish he believed in himself more in a different way. Yeah, me too.
- [49:44]
B
Wrong direction, Haggie. Would your mom ever help you do crime for jewelry? Because I know for a fact mine would.
- [49:55]
A
Absolutely not. Are you kidding me? My mom is. She's strict. I really do think if I was committing a crime like that, she'd be like, well, that's what you did. Bye.
- [50:04]
B
That lady would. She would drive the getaway car. Okay, but if you did do the crime, would your mom then turn you in? Because my mother would also turn me in.
- [50:14]
A
No, I. I don't think she would. She wouldn't help me, but maybe she wouldn't put me in prison. She just kind of would be like, figure this out. But who knows, you know? The power of a mother's love is crazy.
- [50:25]
B
So we were really raised by different people. Follow scamplancers on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of Scamflancers ad free by joining Audible from Audible Originals. This is Sean Beautiful Lies for Scamflancers. I'm Sachi Kol.
- [50:48]
A
And I'm Sarah Hagie. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us@scamfluencersoudible.com we use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were the Kingston Kid by Jonathan Cunningham for the Miami New Times and various trial reports from the local ABC affiliate, Local 10. We also relied on the dogged celebrity reporting of TMZ.
- [51:13]
B
Zan Romanoff wrote this episode. Additional writing by US Sachi Cole and Sarah Hagie. Olivia Briley was the story editor. Our senior producers are Sarah Enni and Ginny Blume. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Fact checking by Kalina Newman. Sound design by James Morgan. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freeze on Sync. The executive producer for Audible is Jenny Lauer Beckman. The head of Creative development at Audible is Kate Navin. The head of Audible Originals North America is Marshall Louie. The Chief Content Officer is Rachel Giazza. Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals, LLC. Sound recording Copyright 2026 by Audible Original.