WASHINGTON (AP) — Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.
Michel, 52, declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him. In April 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel of 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The trial in Washington, D.C., included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Justice Department prosecutors said federal sentencing guidelines recommended a life sentence for Michel, whom they said “betrayed his country for money” and “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.”
“His sentence should reflect the breadth and depth of his crimes, his indifference to the risks to his country, and the magnitude of his greed,” they wrote. Defense attorney Peter Zeidenberg said his client’s 14-year sentence is “completely disproportionate to the offense.” Michel will appeal his conviction and sentence, according to his lawyer.
Zeidenberg had recommended a three-year prison sentence, arguing that a life sentence would be an “absurdly high” punishment for Michel, typically reserved for deadly terrorists and drug cartel leaders.
“The Government’s position is one that would cause Inspector Javert to recoil and illustrates just how easily the Guidelines can be manipulated to produce absurd results,” his attorneys stated.
Michel, a Brooklyn native whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti, was a founding member of the Fugees along with childhood friends Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. Their hip-hop band won two Grammy Awards and sold tens of millions of albums.
Michel obtained over $120 million from Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho — known as Jho Low — and steered some of that money through straw donors to Obama’s campaign. Michel attempted to end a Justice Department investigation of Low, tampered with witnesses, and perjured himself at trial, prosecutors argued.
Low, who has lived in China, was one of the primary financiers of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a movie starring DiCaprio. Low is a fugitive but maintains his innocence.
“Low’s motivation for giving Mr. Michel money to donate was not to achieve some policy objective, but simply to obtain a photograph with then-President Obama,” Michel’s attorneys wrote.
In August 2024, the judge rejected Michel’s request for a new trial, including concerns over the use of a generative AI program during trial arguments. The judges concluded that the alleged trial errors did not amount to a serious miscarriage of justice.
Michel, 52, declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him. In April 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel of 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The trial in Washington, D.C., included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Justice Department prosecutors said federal sentencing guidelines recommended a life sentence for Michel, whom they said “betrayed his country for money” and “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.”
“His sentence should reflect the breadth and depth of his crimes, his indifference to the risks to his country, and the magnitude of his greed,” they wrote. Defense attorney Peter Zeidenberg said his client’s 14-year sentence is “completely disproportionate to the offense.” Michel will appeal his conviction and sentence, according to his lawyer.
Zeidenberg had recommended a three-year prison sentence, arguing that a life sentence would be an “absurdly high” punishment for Michel, typically reserved for deadly terrorists and drug cartel leaders.
“The Government’s position is one that would cause Inspector Javert to recoil and illustrates just how easily the Guidelines can be manipulated to produce absurd results,” his attorneys stated.
Michel, a Brooklyn native whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti, was a founding member of the Fugees along with childhood friends Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. Their hip-hop band won two Grammy Awards and sold tens of millions of albums.
Michel obtained over $120 million from Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho — known as Jho Low — and steered some of that money through straw donors to Obama’s campaign. Michel attempted to end a Justice Department investigation of Low, tampered with witnesses, and perjured himself at trial, prosecutors argued.
Low, who has lived in China, was one of the primary financiers of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a movie starring DiCaprio. Low is a fugitive but maintains his innocence.
“Low’s motivation for giving Mr. Michel money to donate was not to achieve some policy objective, but simply to obtain a photograph with then-President Obama,” Michel’s attorneys wrote.
In August 2024, the judge rejected Michel’s request for a new trial, including concerns over the use of a generative AI program during trial arguments. The judges concluded that the alleged trial errors did not amount to a serious miscarriage of justice.
