Pras Michel, Grammy-winning rapper and founding member of 1990s hip-hop group ‘The Fugees’, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after being convicted on 10 felony charges in a sprawling international fraud scheme and political influence case.
Prosecutors accused Michel of accepting more than $120 million from Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, the alleged mastermind of the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. Michel was found guilty of illegally funnelling millions in foreign contributions into Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign and later lobbying the Trump administration to halt investigations into Low.
The Justice Department described Michel as having “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly” in attempts to deceive the White House, senior politicians, and the FBI over nearly a decade.
In 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel on charges, including conspiracy, money laundering, and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio also testified during the trial, as Low had financed his 2013 film ‘The Wolf of Wall Streetx. Last month, Michel was ordered to forfeit roughly $65 million for his role in the scheme.
Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, citing the scale of Michel’s crimes and his “indifference to the risks to his country.” The judge instead imposed a 14-year term, followed by three years of supervised release. Michel’s attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, described the sentence as “completely disproportionate” and said his client plans to appeal.
Low Taek Jho remains a fugitive, accused of orchestrating the theft of billions from Malaysia’s state investment fund. His lawyers argue that payments to Michel were intended to secure a photograph with then-President Obama, not to influence U.S. policy.
Michel’s downfall marks a dramatic turn for the Brooklyn-born artist who once topped charts with The Fugees. From celebrated musician to convicted felon, the case highlights how celebrity, politics, and global finance can collide with serious consequences.
