Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, co-founder of the iconic hip-hop group the Fugees, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme that illegally injected $900,000 in foreign money into Barack Obama’s presidential reelection campaign.
Michel secretly took money from a shady Malaysian billionaire and used fake American donors to sneak the money into Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign, which broke the law because foreigners aren’t allowed to give money to U.S. elections
Michel, 52, was convicted in April 2023 on 10 felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
Prosecutors portrayed him as a willing participant in a web of international intrigue tied to Malaysia’s 1MDB embezzlement scandal, where he accepted over $120 million from fugitive financier Jho Low — the Malaysian billionaire accused of siphoning billions from state funds.
Michel received illegal funds from Low
He then directed $865,000 for the Obama campaign— to American proxies, who wrote checks to Obama’s campaign committee, Obama for America.****
Details:
Michel tried to stop a DOJ investigation into Low, including witness tampering and perjury during his trial.
Prosecutors wanted a life sentence under federal guidelines, while Michel’s team pushed for three years.
Timeline:
2010: Michel introduces Low to Hollywood circles, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio
2012: Michel executes the straw-donor ploy, disguising $865,000 in foreign funds as domestic contributions to Obama’s reelection, granting Low access to exclusive events.
2013–2018: Michel leverages Low’s money for personal gain and attempts to derail U.S. investigations into the financier, including outreach to Trump administration officials.
April 2023: Jury convicts Michel on all counts after a high-profile trial featuring celebrity witnesses.
August 2024: Judge denies Michel’s request for a new trial, rejecting claims of ineffective counsel involving AI use in arguments.
November: Sentencing 14-year term
