Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in Campaign Scandal

Pras Michel, Grammy-winning rapper and founding member of the iconic group the Fugees, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a sprawling illegal campaign finance and foreign influence scheme. The sentencing was handed down on November 20, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., following Michel’s conviction in April 2023 on charges including conspiracy, money laundering, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and witness tampering.

At the heart of the scandal was Michel’s involvement in funneling over $120 million from fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho—known as Jho Low—into the 2012 reelection campaign of former President Barack Obama. Prosecutors detailed how Michel helped hide the origin of foreign donations through shell companies and straw donors, violating U.S. campaign finance laws that prohibit foreign contributions. Beyond the Obama campaign, Michel also engaged in illegal lobbying efforts during the Trump administration to obstruct investigations into Low’s role in the notorious 1MDB scandal, a massive Malaysian sovereign wealth fund corruption case.

Prosecutors described Michel as having “betrayed his country for financial gain,” persistently lying and manipulating government entities over nearly a decade. They advocated for a life sentence, emphasizing the severity of his offenses and the threat posed to U.S. national security. Testimonies during the high-profile trial included notable figures such as Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Michel’s defense team condemned the harsh sentence as “entirely disproportionate,” arguing that similar cases resulted in lighter penalties, and pointed out that Michel received no espionage charges—a key consideration in foreign agent prosecutions. They announced plans to appeal the verdict and sentence. Following the prison term, Michel faces three years of supervised release and forfeiture of more than $64 million tied to the illegal campaign finance activity.

Michel, who shot to fame in the 1990s as part of the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, now confronts a dramatic fall from grace that underscores the extensive consequences of illicit foreign influence in American politics. Despite this setback, his representatives remain grateful for the support received, stating that this chapter does not mark the end of his journey.

This landmark case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding U.S. elections from covert foreign interference and the serious repercussions for those who betray democratic principles for financial gain.bbc+4​

1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7n7l70vzgo
2. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/fugees-rapper-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison-over-illegal-obama-donations
3. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/fugees-member-sentenced-to-14-years-for-campaign-donation-scheme-7bbb7850
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow4bcn8mkIM
5. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/11/21/fugees-rapper-pras-michel-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison-in-us-campaign-financing-scandal_6747698_4.html
6. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2025/11/20/fugees-star-sentenced-to-14-years-in-fara-case-00664124
7. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/us-entertainer-convicted-engaging-foreign-influence-campaign
8. https://apnews.com/article/852e3aa86a604597b99c5e81179a7b6b
9. https://www.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads/comments/11g6you/the_fugee_the_fugitive_and_the_fbi_how_rapper/