Pras Michel, a Grammy-winning artist and former member of the Fugees, was found guilty of 10 criminal counts related to an international conspiracy that reached the highest levels of the US government. Michel faced multiple counts over the failed conspiracy to help Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the Chinese government gain access to US officials, including former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Michel was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the US, witness tampering, and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He could face up to 20 years in prison, and no sentencing date has been set.
During the trial, Michel testified that Low paid him $20 million in 2012 to get a picture of himself with Obama. Prosecutors alleged that Michel funneled over $800,000 of that money to Obama's campaign through a number of straw donors. Michel defended himself by saying that he never used the money at Low's direction but instead saw it as his money, which he could spend however he wanted.
However, when Trump came to power in 2017, investigations into Low and his alleged role in embezzling billions of dollars from 1MBD, the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, began to ramp up. Prosecutors alleged that Low directed over $100 million to Michel to help push the government, including Trump, to drop its investigation into Low. Michel was also accused of advocating for the extradition of a Chinese dissident, Guo Wengui, on behalf of the Chinese government.
Michel testified that he only tried to help Low find an attorney in the US and only told authorities about Guo because he thought he was a criminal. The former Fugees member also said the $100 million was for a media business he was starting and the investment wasn't from Low.
Low, who was charged along with Michel, is believed to be in China. Guo has since been arrested and charged by the Justice Department with defrauding investors in an unrelated case.
Michel's attorney, David Kenner, expressed disappointment about the verdicts, but said he was confident that his mistrial motions would work out in their favor. "We are extremely disappointed in that result but are very, very confident in the ultimate outcome of this case," Kenner told reporters, adding: "If we do move to a sentencing hearing I remain very confident we will certainly appeal this case. This is not over."