Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Found Guilty in $100M Political Conspiracy Case
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The Fugees founding member was found guilty Wednesday of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government
Fugees rapper Pras Michel faces up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of conspiring to help China influence the U.S. government.
On Wednesday, the Grammy-winning artist "sat stoically" in a Washington, D.C. federal court while guilty verdicts were read out on 10 criminal counts related to an international conspiracy to provide Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the Chinese government with access to the highest levels of the U.S. government, CNN reported.
This included attempts to access former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, added CNN.
Among the criminal counts, Michel, 50, was found guilty of witness tampering, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, reported The New York Times.
No sentencing date was set on Wednesday and Michel did not comment to reporters while exiting the court, according to multiple outlets.
Speaking on his client's behalf, Michel's attorney David Kenner said that he was "confident" about seeking a mistrial.
"We are extremely disappointed in that result," Kenner told reporters of the verdicts, per NBC News, "but are very, very confident in the ultimate outcome of this case. If we do move to a sentencing hearing I remain very confident we will certainly appeal this case. This is not over."
Kenner did not immediately reply to PEOPLE's request for further comment.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Michel was given more than $100 million by Low, 41, to serve as an "unregistered backchannel campaign" to influence officials in the Trump administration — primarily with the aim of having them drop an investigation into Low and to arrange the transportation of a political dissident back to China.
Low, who is currently an international fugitive, is suspected of embezzling $4.5 billion from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund, the Washington Post reported. It is believed to be one of the largest financial crimes ever recorded.
Per CNN, Michel testified last week that Low paid him $20 million in 2012 to facilitate a photograph with Obama. Prosecutors also alleged that Michel "funneled over $800,000" of Low's money to Obama's campaign via straw donors, the outlet added.
Related:Leonardo DiCaprio Willingly Returned Gifted Oscar to Federal Authorities Amid 1MDB Investigation
Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions were among those who testified in court during Michel's trial, which began on March 30, per the BBC.
The Academy Award winner, 48, testified to both his friendships with Michel, whom he said he met in the 1990s, and Low, whom the actor said would invite celebrities to "lavish parties" around the world, CNN reported.
Low allegedly helped finance the Martin Scorsese movie Wolf of Wall Street with money from the sovereign fund, added the BBC. He also gifted DiCaprio with Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar for On the Waterfront, which the actor willingly returned in 2017 as the Department of Justice ramped up its investigation into the Malaysian's activities, his representatives told PEOPLE in a statement at the time.
DiCaprio is not accused of any wrongdoing and reportedly testified to a grand jury regarding the investigation before Michel was indicted, reported CNN.
"Today's verdict demonstrates that anyone who engages in unlawful foreign-sponsored efforts to influence American officials, our elections, or the criminal justice system will be brought to justice," Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., an assistant attorney general with the Justice Department, told The New York Times in a statement on Wednesday.
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