Pras Speaks Out After He Was Convicted in $1 Billion Dollar Fraud Case, Faces 22 Years in Prison

Grammy Award-winning artist and founding member of the Fugees, Pras Michél, has spoken out about his recent conviction in a billion-dollar fraud scheme tied to the infamous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Facing up to 22 years in prison, the 53-year-old opened up about the case in an interview with 'Variety,' published on Wednesday, November 27.

"I don't know if subconsciously it was a bit exciting for me... I like spy movies, but I never wanted to be a spy. I don't think that's sexy. But a part of it felt like that," Michél admitted. He added, "Technically, I'm a foreign agent."

The U.S. government convicted Michél under the Foreign Agents Registration Act for his role in aiding Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low has been accused of embezzling $4.5 billion from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund, channeling the money through various avenues, including political contributions and Hollywood projects.

Prosecutors alleged that Michél helped Low gain favor with prominent figures in Hollywood and U.S. politics. Some of the stolen funds reportedly financed high-profile ventures like the 2013 film 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and supported Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

According to Michél's legal team, the artist was merely a pawn in Low's elaborate scheme to bolster his image and credibility in the United States. Michél's lawyers argued that he was used as a middleman by Low, who sought to hide his illegal activities behind Michél's public persona.

After a lengthy trial, Michél was found guilty on several counts, with a sentencing date set for January 2025. Speaking about his next steps, Michél shared, "I'm going to fight, and I'm going to appeal, but there's a possibility that I'm going in while I'm fighting... It's just the reality."

The case marks a significant fall from grace for Michél, who rose to fame as part of the Fugees, one of the most celebrated hip hop groups of the 1990s.

Back in August, Pras released a new song amidst the controversy surrounding The Fugees' reunion tour cancellation. He seemingly blamed his bandmate Lauryn Hill for the situation and also referenced the third member of the group, Wyclef Jean.

"Don't blame me, blame her, she made the mess ... not another f*****g penny, is what I told [Wy]clef [Jean]."

Hill, 49, recently commented on the cancellation of the U.S. leg of The Fugees' reunion tour, coinciding with the release of Michel's song, according to 'TMZ.' The "Doo Wop (That Thing)" singer noted that "low ticket sales" were a significant factor in the decision to cancel, attributing the issue to "sensationalism and clickbait headlines [that] have seemingly created a narrative that has affected ticket sales for the North American portion of the show."