Nationwide — Fugees rapper Pras Michel, a Grammy-winning artist best known as one-third of the iconic 1990s hip-hop group alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a sprawling foreign influence and lobbying scheme involving Malaysian financier Jho Low. The sentence, issued in Washington, D.C., marks a major turning point in a case that accused Michel of using millions in foreign money to sway the U.S. government under both the Obama and Trump administrations. Michel, who has already been ordered to forfeit $64 million, now faces years behind bars as he prepares to surrender to authorities in January.
According to Billboard, sentencing took place before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who imposed 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prosecutors had pushed aggressively for a harsh penalty, arguing that Michel “betrayed his country for money” and noting that others convicted in similarly large financial schemes often receive more than 20 years. They cited his alleged efforts to secretly funnel foreign cash into U.S. politics and influence multiple federal investigations tied to Jho Low and the 1MDB scandal.
Michel’s defense team had urged the court to impose a drastically lighter sentence—just 36 months—arguing that prosecutors were seeking a punishment more typical of violent criminals or international cartel leaders. They said that Michel never intended to commit an act of espionage or treason, and that his actions were far less dangerous than the government portrayed. However, the judge ultimately sided with prosecutors and delivered a sentence between the two extremes.
After the hearing, Michel’s spokeswoman Erica Dumas released a statement saying that the former Fugees star remains grateful for supporters and is determined to fight on. She emphasized that Michel has spent his career breaking barriers and that the verdict represents only one chapter in his life. Despite the seriousness of the moment, his team insists that he intends to continue defending his legacy and preparing for the long legal road ahead.
Michel’s conviction in April 2023 followed a highly publicized trial that featured testimony from notable figures, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jurors found him guilty on 10 federal counts, including conspiracy, witness tampering, and illegally acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The case stemmed from accusations that he helped Jho Low channel millions into Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, lobbied the Trump administration to drop its investigation into Low, and later attempted to influence a Chinese extradition request.
Following the verdict, Michel sought a new trial by arguing that his former attorney, David Kenner, mishandled the case—most notably by relying on an untested artificial intelligence tool to craft the trial’s closing argument. Although the judge rejected the request for a retrial, Kenner later pleaded guilty to contempt of court for leaking grand jury information to the press. Michel’s new legal team is now preparing an appeal of both his conviction and the sentence, a process that could take several years and presents steep challenges under federal law.