Grammy-winning rapper Pras sentenced to 14 years in prison for corrupt donations to Obama campaign
Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, a founding member of the hit group Fugees, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence of 14 years for his role in a massive corruption scandal involving Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho. The 52-year-old musician was convicted of money laundering and campaign finance violations in a high-profile case that led to federal charges against him.
Michel's involvement in the scandal dates back to the early 2010s, when Low allegedly funnelled billions of dollars from a Malaysian state investment fund into various luxury ventures, including real estate, fine art, and Hollywood films. The trail of money eventually led to Michel, who allegedly helped channel funds into then-President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign through shell companies.
Prosecutors have accused Michel of committing multiple crimes, including conspiracy, lying under oath, and tampering with witnesses. In his defense, Michel's lawyer argued that a life sentence would be "absurd" given the relatively minor nature of his offense compared to other high-profile cases involving terrorism or organized crime.
The case has drawn criticism from some quarters, who have accused prosecutors of over-reaching in their pursuit of punishment. The judge ultimately rejected Michel's request for a new trial based on errors made during the proceedings, but his lawyers have announced plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence.
Michel's conviction is part of a broader global foreign influence scandal led by Low Taek Jho, who is believed to be hiding in China. Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified against Michel at trial, highlighting the gravity of the allegations against him.
The case has left many fans of the Fugees stunned, as they grapple with the idea that one of their most beloved artists could be involved in such serious wrongdoing. Despite his conviction, Michel remains popular among some quarters for his contributions to hip-hop and R&B music during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, a founding member of the hit group Fugees, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence of 14 years for his role in a massive corruption scandal involving Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho. The 52-year-old musician was convicted of money laundering and campaign finance violations in a high-profile case that led to federal charges against him.
Michel's involvement in the scandal dates back to the early 2010s, when Low allegedly funnelled billions of dollars from a Malaysian state investment fund into various luxury ventures, including real estate, fine art, and Hollywood films. The trail of money eventually led to Michel, who allegedly helped channel funds into then-President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign through shell companies.
Prosecutors have accused Michel of committing multiple crimes, including conspiracy, lying under oath, and tampering with witnesses. In his defense, Michel's lawyer argued that a life sentence would be "absurd" given the relatively minor nature of his offense compared to other high-profile cases involving terrorism or organized crime.
The case has drawn criticism from some quarters, who have accused prosecutors of over-reaching in their pursuit of punishment. The judge ultimately rejected Michel's request for a new trial based on errors made during the proceedings, but his lawyers have announced plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence.
Michel's conviction is part of a broader global foreign influence scandal led by Low Taek Jho, who is believed to be hiding in China. Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified against Michel at trial, highlighting the gravity of the allegations against him.
The case has left many fans of the Fugees stunned, as they grapple with the idea that one of their most beloved artists could be involved in such serious wrongdoing. Despite his conviction, Michel remains popular among some quarters for his contributions to hip-hop and R&B music during the 1990s and early 2000s.
. I'm not gonna lie, it's hard to wrap your head around Pras being involved in something like this. He was part of one of the biggest hip-hop groups of all time, Fugees, and then he gets caught up in a massive corruption scandal that goes all the way back to Obama's campaign 
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. It's just crazy that Leonardo DiCaprio testified against him - what even is that? 
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14 years might be harsh, but at least he's not facing life in prison right? gotta wonder what his lawyers are gonna come up with to appeal this 
. I mean, we all know that politics can get super dirty, but 14 years is a long time 
. I think it's unfair to judge him harshly, considering the scale of what Low Taek Jho did was mind-boggling 
. It's like he just got caught up in something way bigger than himself 
. I'm all for accountability, but a life sentence might be harsh? Maybe the appeal will help him get a more reasonable sentence? Fingers crossed 
. Can we just say he's still an amazing musician and not define his entire existence by one mistake? 
anyway just great news for the FBI i guess 
. I'm not sure if Michel was fully culpable of all the charges brought against him, but it does seem like he was definitely involved to some extent 
. Anyway, I think this whole case highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating corruption scandals and ensuring that those found guilty are held accountable for their actions 
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. The fact that he got caught up in this whole corruption thing doesn't necessarily mean he's a bad person 
. And let's be real, the penalties are pretty harsh for what some people might see as just a few shady business deals 
. So yeah, I'm kinda rooting for Pras and hoping his lawyers can get that sentence reduced 
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its not fair to his fans that have been holding out for years waiting for new music from him now he's gotta deal with this huge conviction and sentence meanwhile leonardo dicaprio and jeff sessions testified against him whoa that must've been super awkward for him 
anyway im curious to see if hes gonna appeal the whole thing or just take it like a champ 
. You never think about the artists you love being involved in something shady like this. But on a silver lining side, it's crazy that Leonardo DiCaprio was willing to testify against him 
, shows he's still got integrity even after all these years. And let's not forget, Pras has been making music for over 30 years, so his legacy is way more than just one bad decision 
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can't believe what's happening to Pras... he's one of the most talented rappers of our time and now he's got 14 years in the slammer? 
I'm trying to understand how this all went down, but it just seems like a really complex web of corruption. I feel bad for his fans, they're gonna be totally bummed out 
. And what's crazy is that Leonardo DiCaprio testified against him... I mean, I love Leo, but come on! 
The sentence does seem a bit harsh, though - 14 years just doesn't seem right given the 'minor' nature of the offense his lawyer kept saying 
anyway seriously what's up with these rich ppl funneling money into politics? it's like they think they're above the law or something 
and now Pras is gonna spend more time in the slammer than I do on a weekend binge-watching Netflix 
. Now let's get back to the important stuff: who's gonna write the biopic about Pras' life of crime? 
back in the day and thinking how smooth Pras' vocals were... now this 
it's not fair that the system took a harder stance on this one 
. Plus, I mean, Pras is still a genius and made some amazing music with the Fugees 
. He'll survive this too!