Fugees rapper Pras Michel sentenced to 14 years in prison over illegal Obama donations

WASHINGTON – Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of legendary hip-hop trio The Fugees, is now swapping studio time for prison jumpsuits after a US court handed him a 14-year jail sentence on Thursday.

Michel, 52, stood motionless in court, choosing not to speak as District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly delivered his sentence, bringing an end to one of the most bizarre Hollywood-meets-politics scandals America has seen in years.

This all stems from his April 2023 conviction, where a federal jury found him guilty on 10 counts, including conspiracy and operating as an unregistered agent for a foreign government.

Testimonies from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions were the cream topping to the drama in the courtroom.

Prosecutors argued that sentencing guidelines suggested life in prison, accusing Michel of “betraying his country for money” while “lying unapologetically” to keep his scheme alive.

They insisted the rapper’s punishment must reflect “the magnitude of his greed.”

But Michel’s lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, blasted the ruling as “completely disproportionate,” insisting the rapper will appeal. The defence had pushed for just three years, arguing that comparing Michel to terrorists and cartel bosses was a gross exaggeration.

In a fiery court filing, they said the government’s stance was so extreme that “even Inspector Javert would recoil.”

Once a Brooklyn kid from a Haitian immigrant family, Michel rose to fame alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean as they formed The Fugees, the group that went on to scoop Grammys and sell millions worldwide.

But prosecutors say fame wasn’t enough—claiming Michel pocketed more than US$120 million from controversial Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low. A chunk of that cash allegedly flowed into Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign through straw donors.

The feds say Michel didn’t stop there. He allegedly tried to interfere with a Justice Department investigation into Jho Low, tampered with witnesses, and even lied under oath during his trial.

Jho Low, who helped finance the film The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio, remains a fugitive—reportedly hiding out in China—and continues to deny any wrongdoing.

In August 2024, the judge rejected Michel’s request for a new trial based in part on his defence attorney’s use of a generative AI program during his closing of the trial’s arguments.

The judges stated that the trial errors, including those mentioned, did not amount to a serious miscarriage of justice.