Grammy-winning rapper Pras Michel of the Fugees has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. Michel was convicted in April 2023 on 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
The scheme involved Michel receiving over $120 million from Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low. Michel then channeled some of this money through straw donors to the Obama campaign.
Prosecutors stated that Low's primary motivation was to obtain a photograph with President Obama. In addition to the illegal campaign donations, Michel was also found to have attempted to obstruct a Justice Department investigation into Low, tampered with witnesses, and perjured himself during the trial.
Justice Department prosecutors argued that federal sentencing guidelines recommended a life sentence, citing Michel's alleged betrayal of his country for financial gain and his persistent lies. Michel's defense team called the 14-year sentence "completely disproportionate" and stated they would appeal, having recommended a three-year sentence.
They argued that a life sentence was an excessive punishment for the crimes committed. In August 2024, a judge rejected Michel's request for a new trial, which was partly based on his defense attorney's use of generative AI during the closing arguments, finding that the trial errors did not constitute a serious miscarriage of justice.
