The trial of Fugees MC Pras Michel has been ongoing for months now. It began on Monday, March 27 in Washington D.C. As per an NPR report, Pras is facing charges of conspiracy, witness tampering, and failure to register as an agent of China. In 2018, an investigation was opened into Pras' dealings. The MC allegedly embezzled millions. Apparently, he used the funds to support Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. Pras has more legal issues, though. The MC has also been in court for failing to pay child support. However, the federal case against him is far more serious. Pras' legal problems resulted in the cancellation of the Fugees' reunion tour in August 2022.
The charges against Pras are a little bit complicated. He allegedly planned to repay $40,000 to participants of an Obama campaign fundraiser using foreign investments for ticket expenses. Additionally, he allegedly threatened those who would think about reporting this scheme to the authorities. Furthermore, he also helped Malaysian billionaire Jho Low through a secret lobbying campaign to persuade U.S. Justices and White House officials to dismiss the fraud charges against him. As of today, it looks like his luck has run out.
Pras Guilty On All 10 Counts
Pras has been convicted for participating in the aforementioned international conspiracy plot. It utilized millions of foreign funds to influence American government officials. According to TMZ, Pras is guilty on all 10 charges. He can be sentenced to up to 20 years in jail. His lawyer, David Kenner, expressed dissatisfaction with the jury's verdict. Of course, he promised to challenge the decision.
In 2019, Pras was accused of violating campaign laws. At the time, authorities presented a plea deal. It would have cleared all charges and returned some of the $74 million seized from his bank accounts. However, he declined the offer, confident in his innocence. Instead, he chose to face trial, which resulted in the inclusion of eight additional charges. Now, he has been found guilty of all of them. What do you think of the outcome of Pras' trial? Let us know in the comments!
[Via]