Summary
Fugees rapper Pras Michel was sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegal political lobbying. The court found him guilty of taking money from a Malaysian billionaire to influence U.S. politics and acting as an unregistered agent for China. His sentence followed a trial where prosecutors said he deceived U.S. government entities for money.
Key Facts
- Pras Michel, former member of the Fugees, got a 14-year prison sentence related to illegal lobbying.
- Prosecutors said he used more than $100 million from Malaysian billionaire Jho Low to influence U.S. politics.
- He was found guilty of acting as an unregistered foreign agent and witness tampering.
- The case involved efforts to lobby Donald Trump's administration regarding Jho Low's legal issues.
- Michel's lawyer plans to appeal the sentence, calling it excessive compared to co-defendants.
- The trial included testimony from Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
- The justice department reached an agreement with Jho Low to return over $100 million to Malaysia.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo limiting prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, except in espionage cases.
