A Grammy-winning rapper who “betrayed his country for money” has been sentenced to 14 years in jail.
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, who was a part of Nineties hip-hop group The Fugees, was convicted of illegally funnelling thousands and thousands of {dollars} in international contributions to Barack Obama’s re-election marketing campaign in 2012.
The Justice Division had accused the 53-year-old of accepting $120m (£92m) from Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, who wished to realize political affect within the US.
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The Fugees after successful Grammys in 1997. Pic: Reuters
Prosecutors mentioned Michel “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his actions” – and sought to deceive the White Home, senior politicians and the FBI for nearly a decade.
In 2018, it’s claimed he urged the Trump administration and the justice division to drop embezzlement investigations in opposition to Low.
Michel was convicted of 10 counts by a federal jury in 2023 – and final month, he was ordered to forfeit about $65m (£50m) for his function within the scheme.
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio testified on the trial, and Low was a main financier in his 2013 movie The Wolf Of Wall Road.
The Oscar-winning actor mentioned the businessman’s funding and legitimacy had been rigorously vetted earlier than they entered a partnership.
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Low Taek Jho. AP file pic
Prosecutors had been in search of a life sentence to “reflect the breadth and depth of Michel’s crimes, his indifference to the risks to his country, and the magnitude of his greed”.
Nonetheless, the rapper’s lawyer Peter Zeidenberg has argued that the 14-year time period is “completely disproportionate to the offence” – and is vowing to attraction.
Final yr, a choose rejected Michel’s request for a brand new trial after claiming that one in all his legal professionals had used AI throughout closing arguments.
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Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel fashioned The Fugees within the Nineties
Low Taek Jho has been accused of getting a central function within the 1MDB scandal, amid claims billions of {dollars} have been stolen from a Malaysian state fund.
The 44-year-old is a fugitive however has maintained his innocence, along with his legal professionals writing: “Low’s motivation for giving Michel money to donate was not so that he could achieve some policy objective.
“As a substitute, Low merely wished to acquire {a photograph} with himself after which President Obama.”
Michel, who was born in Brooklyn, was a founding member of The Fugees with childhood mates Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean – promoting tens of thousands and thousands of data.
