Fugees member Pras Michel is going to trial for money laundering, with a November 4 start date. According to Rolling Stone, the Justice Department has alleged that Michel assisted Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the wealth fund 1MDB to personally steal from what should’ve been for Malaysian economic development. Michel was apparently paid anywhere from $8 to $40 million for helping Low. In 2019, he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and falsifying records charges.
Along with Michel, the case has several high-profile witnesses who were connected to Low. Leonardo DiCaprio used money from 1MDB to produce The Wolf Of Wall Street. The same year Michel plead not guilty to prior charges, DiCaprio gave a secret testimony to a grand jury in DC.
The publication lists Trump-affiliated officials on the witness list as well. A few include “White House chief of staff John Kelly, former national security adviser H.R. McMaster, former deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, RNC deputy finance chair Elliott Broidy and lobbyist.” Broidy had previously plead guilty “to acting as an unregistered foreign agent working for Chinese and Malaysian interests in 2020,” before Trump pardoned him a year later.
Given the news of Broidy’s 2021 pardon, Michel allegedly tried to convince Trump’s administration to drop the Low and 1MDB investigation — which has only landed him with additional charges ahead of this trial.
Michel was set to play a reunion tour with the Fugees last fall, but it has never occurred due to ongoing COVID concerns. Earlier this year, it was reportedly canceled because of Michel’s ongoing case.
