Grammy-Winning Rapper Receives Significant Sentence
Prakazrel 'Pras' Michel, 52, a Grammy-winning rapper and founding member of the iconic hip-hop group The Fugees, was sentenced on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to 14 years in federal prison. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in a Washington, D.C., federal court, concludes a high-profile case involving illegal foreign contributions and lobbying efforts.
Michel was convicted in April 2023 on 10 counts, which included conspiracy, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, campaign finance violations, witness tampering, and lying to banks. Prosecutors had argued for a life sentence, asserting that Michel 'betrayed his country for money' and 'lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.' His defense attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, stated that the 14-year sentence is 'completely disproportionate to the offense' and confirmed Michel plans to appeal.
The Malaysian Financier and Obama Campaign Donations
The core of the charges against Michel involved his role in illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions into then-President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. These funds, totaling over $120 million, originated from Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, widely known as Jho Low. Prosecutors alleged that Michel used straw donors to disguise the foreign origin of these contributions.
Michel's legal team contended that Low's motivation for providing the money was not to achieve policy objectives but rather a desire for vanity, specifically to secure a photograph with President Obama. Jho Low remains a fugitive, wanted in connection with the 1MDB scandal, a multi-billion dollar embezzlement scheme from a Malaysian state investment fund.
Lobbying Efforts and High-Profile Trial
Beyond the Obama campaign, Michel was also found guilty of attempting to influence the Trump administration between 2017 and 2018. These efforts aimed to persuade the U.S. Justice Department to drop its investigation into Jho Low and to facilitate the extradition of Chinese dissident Miles Guo (Guo Wengui) back to China.
The trial garnered significant public attention, featuring testimony from notable figures such as actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Michel to forfeit approximately $64 million linked to the scheme and serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. Michel is scheduled to surrender to begin his sentence on January 27, 2026.
5 Comments
Africa
14 years is a strong message. You betray your country, you pay the price.
Bermudez
Sad to see his career end like this over political games. What a waste.
Coccinella
This case is a necessary reminder that campaign finance laws are there for a reason, even if the length of the sentence feels extreme to some. The potential for foreign manipulation is a real threat.
ZmeeLove
He clearly broke the law by acting as an unregistered agent, which is serious, yet the article also highlights his defense claiming the intent wasn't for policy, but vanity. It's a complex situation.
Habibi
Seeing a Fugees member go to prison is tough, a stark reminder of how easily people can get caught up in shady dealings. However, the charges of witness tampering and lying to banks are hard to overlook.