WASHINGTON – fugees rapper Pras Michel was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating an illegalโฃ straw donor schemeโ to funnel foreign funds into the 2012 Obama presidential campaign.The sentencing followsโค a conviction โฃlast year on charges of โconspiracy to violate campaignโฃ finance laws, โobstruction of justice, and making false statements to banks.
Michel,a founding member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop group,received over $120 million from Malaysian โฃbusinessman Jho โคLow,a central figure in the 1MDB scandal,and used a portion โof that money to make illegal donations to the Obama campaign through โintermediaries. The case highlights the vulnerabilitiesโฃ in campaign finance regulationsโ and the potential for foreign interference in U.S. elections.Michel will also forfeit $17.5 million.
Prosecutors argued Michel not only funneled the illicit funds but also attempted to obstruct a Justice Department investigation into โLow, โtampered with witnesses, and โcommitted perjury during his trial.evidence presented showedโค Low’s motivation wasn’t political, butโค to secure a photograph with then-President Obama, a claim Michel’s lawyers attemptedโฃ toโฃ leverage in defence.โฃ
Low, โฃcurrently residing in China and a โfugitive from justice, maintains โhis innocenceโ and was a key financier โฃof the film “Theโ Wolf of Wall Street” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
the judge denied โฃMichel’s request forโ a โขnew trial โin August โฃ2024, โciting, in part, his defense attorney’s use of generative โขartificial intelligence โฃduringโ closing arguments, determining โthat errors made did not amount to a serious โinjustice.
