The Grammy-winning founder of Fugees is accused of helping a Malaysian financier launder millions in effort to influence Obama and Trump administration officials.
File: Pras Michel attends TEDxWaterStreet: RESET at Bryant Park Ballroom on May 06, 2021 in New York City. — The trajectory of rap star Pras Michel's career took an unusual path, from making music to making rich friends and attempting to influence American policy decisions, prosecutors alleged Thursday in their opening arguments in the multimillion-dollar fraud and conspiracy case.
According to charging documents, Michel and Low — who remains at large after being charged in both the U.S. and Malaysia — are accused of devising a scheme to secretly funnel approximately $2 million into efforts to reelect President Barack Obama in 2012. Michel has pleaded not guilty, denied wrongdoing and mounted a forceful defense against prosecutors in pre-trial proceedings with current attorney David Kenner, who has previously represented other high-profile clients including Snoop Dogg.
The duo tried to establish an"illegal backchannel influence to the President of the United States," the Justice Department alleged in opening arguments. And in another instance, Michel successfully convinced the Chinese government to return a pregnant Chinese dissident to the U.S., with the expectation that doing so would prompt American officials to push forward with the Guo extradition. Broidy, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to serve as an unregistered foreign agent, could be called as a government witness. Trump pardoned him shortly before leaving office in 2021.
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