Rapper Pras Michél, best known as a member of the iconic 90s music group Fugees, was found guilty in federal court of 10 criminal charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
The Grammy winner faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for conspiring to help Malaysian playboy and fugitive Jho Low, whom he met in 2006, and the Chinese government to gain access to U.S. officials, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Michél, 50, was found guilty last month of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., witness tampering and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He is believed to have funneled over $800,000 through a string of donors to Obama’s 2012 campaign, received $100 million from Low to impede an investigation into his money laundering scam, and tried to persuade the U.S. to extradite a Chinese dissident, Guo Wengui, on behalf of the Chinese government.
Testifying on his own behalf, Michél claims to have received $20 million from Low in 2012 so that the Malaysian businessman could get a photo with Obama. He claims to have been allowed to do what he pleased with the money he obtained in exchange for the photo Low eventually managed to take with Obama at a White House Christmas party. He admits to having donated to Obama’s campaign but maintains that it was a personal decision and was never instructed by Low to do so.
“I could have bought 12 elephants with it,” he told the jury.
Michél maintains his innocence on the other charges he has been accused of, and claims to have only met with the FBI to discuss the extradition of Wengui in exchange for three American hostages in China.
“I took it upon myself to report because I thought the FBI should know,” Michél said of his extradition inquiry.
In a similar vein, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified in court, saying that Michél’s futile attempt at diplomatic legalese was not improper and that he thinks it was “an appropriate action” for Michél to take, but does not “recall ever having met him.”
Since the verdict, Michél has begun taking legal action against 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving and Rolling Stone for social media posts and news publications alleging the rapper was an FBI informant. Michél’s attorneys have sent out letters notifying all parties of his intention to sue for using defamatory comments and labels such as “rat,” “government informant” and “FBI informant.”
