Pras Michel, best known as a former member of the Grammy-winning rap group the Fugees, has been found guilty in a political conspiracy case spanning two presidencies. As the Associated Press reports, Michel was found guilty on all charges, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
Michel was accused of funneling millions of dollars from Malaysian businessman and at-large fugitive Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, into Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign through straw donors. Michel was also accused of trying to undermine the Justice Department’s investigation into Low’s conspiracy and of separately trying to influence an extradition case on China’s behalf without registering as a foreign agent.
The trial featured testimony from Leonardo DiCaprio, whose movie The Wolf Of Wall Street counted Low as a financier. DiCaprio testified that Low presented himself as a legitimate businessman and had mentioned wanting to donate $20 to $30 million to Obama’s campaign. Former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who served in the Trump administration, also testified in the case, noting that he did not know Michel but that the rapper’s unsuccessful efforts to arrange a meeting about the Chinese extradition case did not seem improper.
Michel testified on his own behalf, telling the court that Low had paid him millions of dollars for his help getting a photo with Obama and that Michel had used that money to pay for friends to attend fundraising events. He said no one told him this behavior was illegal. Michel’s attorney David Kenner says they’ll appeal the verdict.
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