Inside Sean Kingston's roller coaster life: How Beautiful Girls singer cheated death in jet-ski crash, made 'kidnap' claim in 2015 then faced rumors he was dead before being arrested with his mother amid '17ft television' probe

In the late 2000s, reggae star Sean Kingston was one of the biggest names in hip-hop thanks to his collaborations with Justin Bieber, Dr. Dre and Nicki Minaj, not to mention his smash hit Beautiful Girls. 

Kingston, 34's, star has fallen somewhat since then as he's been without a major label release in more than a decade. His 2022 album Road to Deliverance failed to chart. 

A far cry from his early career which saw him perform as an opening act for A-listers such as Gwen Stefani and Beyonce. His headlining these days is usually related to brushes with the law, death hoaxes and claims that he's been the victim of a crime.

The singer was born Kisean Paul Anderson in Miami in 1990. In his youth, he moved with his family to Jamaica before returning to Florida in his teenage years for high school. 

The music business is in his blood, his grandfather was legendary reggae music producer Lawrence Lindo, best known for his collaborations with Bob Marley. 

Kingston returned to the news this week after both he and his mother were arrested on fraud charges relating to the purchase of a 17-foot TV in which Kingston is accused of promising he could get Justin Bieber to do a commercial with him. 

Kingston's first brush with the bizarre occurred in 2011 when he was riding on a jet ski with a woman when it crashed into a bridge. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition where he spent a 11 days in treatment. 

The pair were saved when two men happened by on a boat, one of whom was a member of the Coast Guard. They described Kingston as being 'extremely dazed' and 'coughing up blood.'

The Coast Guard worker helped by grabbing hold of Kingston, recalling how he was 'puking up blood' and convulsing, TMZ reported. 

In later interview, Kingston spoke lovingly about the man who saved his life. 

'It was just like an angel in this guy. It was really meant to be. Everything happened at a perfect timing. He was a hero,' he told MTV News.  

'Got my friend Sean Kingston in my prayers tonight,' Justin Bieber tweeted at the time. 'A true friend and big bro. Please keep him in your prayers tonight as well.'

Rihanna tweeted: 'Sean we praying for u baby.'

Rap star LL Cool J wrote: 'I hope and pray that Sean Kingston recovers quickly…. #staystrong.'

During that stay, doctor's discovered that Kingston had suffered a torn aorta, which required emergency surgery. He later said the procedure saved his life. 

'I had a lot of pain. But when I went to visit the surgeon he said: 'Yo, you had a guardian angel that day,' Kingston told Today in a 2011 interview. 

 In the aftermath, Kingston was required to pay a $180 fine as he was accused of 'carelessness' while driving the jet ski. 

His first release after that accident, the album Wait Up, failed to cause a stir. He later said that the accident left changed his priorities and that he couldn't focus on music until at least a year afterwards.  

His troubles refused to let up as in 2015 he claimed that he was the victim of a kidnap attempt, something that authorities disputed, saying that his claims were to do with a business disagreement. 

Kingston said that jeweler he had an issue with set him up to be snatched as the met up to settle their issue over a $185,000 watch. The singer said at the meeting, a group of 'goons' kidnapped him and dumped him the in street. 

By January 2016, the case was closed by investigators. At the time, Kingston denied that he hadn't paid the jeweler because he was broke in a candid interview with TMZ. 

Later that same year, he was the victim of a robbery when his $300,000 chain was stolen by a group of men at the Penthouse Nightclub and Dayclub in Los Angeles, TMZ reported at the time. 

The site said that Kingston was smashed in the head with a bottle during the altercation. The investigation was later closed by authorities because of Kingston's lack of cooperation, according to TMZ.  

Kingston filed a lawsuit against the club, alleging they set up the scenario which resulted in him being robbed, which does not appear to have amounted to anything. He also claimed the ordeal caused him to fear for his life. 

Five years later, Kingston was forced to deny allegations that he punched a music video director named GXDLIKE in the face and then threatened him with a gun. 

The direct was living in Kingston's home at the time and recording the singer's day-to-day life. 

'Any allegations regarding my client, Sean Kingston, made over the past few days are false. It is unfortunate that Sean’s former videographer upon being terminated has chosen to seek his five minutes of fame. All claims will be disproven,' Kingston's lawyers said at the time. 

He returned to the headlines in 2021 once again after a death hoax circulated online. Death hoaxes have followed him since the 2011 jet ski crash. 

 Kingston was arrested in California on fraud charges Thursday, several hours after a SWAT team raided his rented South Florida mansion and carted away a van load of items.

The Broward County Sheriff's Office said Kingston was arrested without incident on a Florida warrant in the area of Fort Irwin, an Army base in the desert about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Earlier in the day, Broward detectives arrested his 61-year-old mother, Janice Turner.

It occurred  during the raid of the rapper's 14,000-square foot home in Southwest Ranches, a Fort Lauderdale suburb that is home to many celebrities and professional athletes, including Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill.

Broward County prosecutors referred all questions to the sheriff's office, which has has declined to release specific details about charges, citing an ongoing investigation. 

After the raid, reporters outside the home could see authorities filling a loading van with goods. The mansion was surrounded by expensive sports cars.

Robert Rosenblatt, an attorney representing the rapper and his mother, said, 'we are aware of some of the allegations' being made against the two.

'We look forward to addressing these in court and are confident of a successful resolution for Shawn and his mother,' Rosenblatt said in an email.

Florida Department of Corrections records show Kingston is currently on two years' probation for trafficking stolen property. Further information on that conviction could not be found. He will be held in California pending extradition to Florida.

According to federal court records, his mother pleaded guilty in 2006 to bank fraud for stealing over $160,000 and served nearly 1.5 years in prison. She was being held at the Broward jail Thursday night on $160,000 bond. 

 An attorney who witnessed his mother's arrest said the detentions are partly related to a lawsuit he filed against Kingston in February accusing him of defrauding a Florida company that installed in his home a 232-inch television — or approximately 17 feet by 9.5 feet.

'It is amazing what you can get away with if you are a celebrity,' attorney Dennis Card told The Associated Press. 

'He creates this larger than life, 'I am rich' persona. His mother is a necessary component in this. He presents himself as a family-oriented guy, 'I'm taking care of my mom,' but she knows full well what is going on.' 

In the lawsuit, Ver Ver Entertainment says Kingston contacted the company in September about purchasing the television, sold under the brand name Colossal TV, and having it installed. The system costs $150,000.

Kingston allegedly told the owners that if they would agree to a lower down payment and give him credit, he and Bieber would do commercials for them.

In November, Kingston paid the company $30,000 and the TV was installed, the lawsuit says. No commercials or further payments were ever made despite numerous promises, it contends.

According to the lawsuit, Kingston no longer has a working relationship with Bieber, who recently dropped his longtime manager. No current contact information for Bieber was available.

'He is 100% not involved in this,' Card said of Bieber. 'He had the misfortune of doing some work in the past with Sean, and Sean drops his name like crazy.'