Washington, D.C. — Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel ‘Pras’ Michel, a founding member of the hip-hop group The Fugees, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after being convicted on 10 counts including conspiracy, acting as an unregistered foreign agent and making illegal campaign contributions.
According to court filings, Michel accepted more than US$120 million from Malaysian financier Jho Low, part of which was funneled through “straw” donors into the 2012 presidential re-election campaign of Barack Obama. The judge, Colleen Kollar‑Kotelly, said Michel showed no remorse and had attempted to obstruct the investigation, including witness-tampering and lying under oath.
Michel’s legal team described the sentence as “disproportionate”, pointing out that sentencing guidelines had originally suggested a life term. They have filed notice of an appeal.
The case underscores concerns about foreign interference in U.S. electoral politics and the misuse of campaign finance channels. The scheme that involved Michel also triggered investigations tied to the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia.
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