Pras Michel, a member of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegally funneling millions of dollars from foreign donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.
Pras Michel’s Conviction Details
Michel, 52, did not speak at his sentencing by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. In April 2023, he was found guilty on 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Witnesses included actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Prosecutors claimed Michel “betrayed his country for money,” requesting a life sentence. They described him as indifferent to the risks of his actions, citing the seriousness of his crimes and greed.
Defense Arguments and Appeals
Defense attorney Peter Zeidenberg argued that the 14-year sentence is excessive and out of proportion to the crime. Michel plans to appeal his conviction and the sentence, as Zeidenberg believes a three-year term would be more appropriate.
The defense criticized the federal sentencing guidelines, stating they are ill-equipped to produce fair sentencing outcomes. They claimed a life sentence would be an “absurdly high” punishment.
Background on Michel and Jho Low
Michel, originally from Brooklyn, is a founding member of the Fugees, who sold millions of albums and won two Grammy Awards. He received over $120 million from Malaysian financier Jho Low, using straw donors to direct funds to Obama’s campaign.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Michel attempted to obstruct a Justice Department investigation and committed perjury during the trial. A judge had previously denied Michel’s motion for a new trial, stating trial errors did not result in a significant miscarriage of justice.
