Prakazrel “Pras Michel, aka “Pras,” was found guilty today in a multi-million dollar political conspiracy that expanded two presidencies, including Obama and Trump.
He was convicted after a trial, including testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The jury, and DC federal court, found him guilty on all ten counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
Pras was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financier, Low Taek Jho, aka “Jho Low.”
Low helped finance Hollywood films like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and appeared as a legitimate businessman who wanted to donate to Obama’s campaign.
It happened through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Then Pras was accused of trying to squelch a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China under the Trump administration.
Pras declined to comment after the verdict, but his attorney indicated he’s very disappointed in the outcome and plans to appeal.
He testified in his own defense and indicated that Low wanted a picture with President Obama in 2012 and was willing to pay millions of dollars to get it. He states no one ever told him that was illegal. Pras agreed to help and use some money to pay for friends to attend fundraising events.
After the election of Donald Trump, prosecutors stated Pras took millions to halt an investigation that Low was the mastermind of a money laundering and bribery scheme that took billions from a Malaysian investment fund called 1MDB.
The defense argued the Grammy-winning rapper from the Fugees wanted to make money after reinventing himself from a rapper to a politician and got bad legal advice.