Pras Michel, a founding member of the award-winning hip-hop group the Fugees, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale foreign influence and campaign finance scheme connected to the 2012 U.S. presidential election.
Michel was convicted in 2023 on multiple charges, including conspiracy, witness tampering, and illegally channeling foreign money into a U.S. political campaign. The sentencing, delivered on Thursday, marks one of the most significant campaign-finance cases involving a public figure in recent years.
According to the Justice Department, Michel accepted approximately $120 million from Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho — known as Jho Low — who sought political access and influence in the United States. Prosecutors said Michel then dispersed a portion of those funds through a network of roughly 20 straw donors, who made contributions to the 2012 re-election campaign of then-President Barack Obama.
Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to U.S. political campaigns, directly or indirectly. Prosecutors argued that Michel’s actions were part of a broader international effort by Jho Low to cultivate high-level connections while facing investigations related to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB financial scandal in Malaysia.
In court filings, the Justice Department sought a life sentence, citing what they described as the seriousness and scope of the scheme. Michel’s attorneys, however, argued for a substantially shorter penalty, suggesting a sentence of roughly three years and contending that Michel had been manipulated by Jho Low.
The judge ultimately determined that a 14-year sentence was appropriate based on the evidence presented and the scale of the offenses.
Michel, who rose to global fame in the 1990s as part of the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, has maintained that he did not intend to break the law. His legal team has indicated they plan to pursue further appeals.
The sentencing closes a major chapter in a complex case involving international finance, political access, and one of the most prominent foreign influence prosecutions in recent history.