Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, has been given a 14-year prison sentence. A jury in Washington, D.C., found him guilty of illegally moving millions of dollars of foreign money into Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign for president. Prosecutors say this was a large political scheme involving lies and misuse of over $100 million.
Michel, age 52, chose not to speak in court before the judge announced his sentence.
His lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, disagreed with the decision, saying that Michel’s punishment is much harsher than what is typical in similar cases.
Zeidenberg pointed out that Michel’s 14-year sentence is longer than that of Senator Menendez, who was involved in providing secret military help to Egypt while leading the Foreign Relations Committee.
Zeidenberg believes the jury’s decision wasn’t supported by the evidence and that the sentence doesn’t fit the alleged crimes, especially when compared to other people involved in the situation. He mentioned that Elliott Broidy received a pardon, George Higginbotham got probation for three months, and Nicki Lum Davis was sentenced to 24 months.
Michel’s attorney stated they will appeal the decision.
Michel was found guilty in April 2023 on multiple federal charges, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent for a foreign country. The trial included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Prosecutors claimed Michel “betrayed his country for money” and “lied without shame” to carry out his plans. They argued that he should face a life sentence, as suggested by federal guidelines.
Michel’s defense team asked for a three-year sentence, arguing that a 14-year sentence is too extreme. They said a life sentence for Michel, a musician without a history of violence, would be excessive.
Michel’s lawyers argued that the government’s position is too harsh and that the guidelines are being used unfairly to produce an unreasonable sentence.
Prosecutors stated that Michel took over $120 million from a Malaysian businessman named Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, and used some of that money to gain access to Obama campaign events. Michel also reportedly tried to interfere with an investigation into Low, influenced witnesses, and lied under oath.
DiCaprio testified that he met Low at a birthday party in 2010 and that Low later became a donor to his charity. DiCaprio also mentioned that he had known Michel since the 1990s, when they met at a Fugees concert.
Michel’s attorneys argued that Low’s intention wasn’t to influence policy. They claimed that Low simply wanted a photograph with President Obama.
In August 2024, the judge denied Michel’s request for a new trial after he claimed his former lawyer used an AI program while preparing closing arguments. The judge determined that the use of AI and other alleged mistakes did not result in an unfair trial.
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