Fugees rapper Pras Michel has been found guilty of 10 criminal counts related to an international conspiracy to help Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the Chinese government gain access to US officials, including Barack Obama. He was found guilty in federal court on Wednesday after being accused of defrauding the US, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, and witness tampering.
According to CBS News, Michel could face up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced, though an official date has yet to be set. Just last week, Michel had testified how Low had paid him $20 million in 2012 if he could organize getting the businessman to take a photo with Obama, with $800,000 of that sum being used to support Obama’s reelection campaign through several donors. The “Ghetto Superstar” hitmaker’s defense argued that their client had simply wanted to make money and ended up getting into some serious bad legal advice after joining politics.
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“We are extremely disappointed in that result but are very, very confident in the ultimate outcome of this case,” his attorney David Kenner told reporters. “If we do move to a sentencing hearing I remain very confident we will certainly appeal this case. This is not over.”
The Jho Low Billionaire Funds Scandal has had political implications, with both Barack Obama and Donald Trump being linked to the scandal. Obama’s administration had allegedly failed to take action against the scandal, despite being aware of it. Trump, on the other hand, has been linked to the scandal through his former aide, Steve Bannon, who had allegedly received money from Low to help fund a political campaign.
The scandal has put the spotlight on the issue of corruption in politics and has raised questions about the role of governments in such cases. It has also led to the arrest of several high-profile individuals, including Michel.
Jho Low is a Malaysian businessman who has been accused of siphoning off billions of dollars from the Malaysian government’s sovereign wealth fund, 1MDB. Michel was allegedly involved in the scandal through his association with Low.
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According to reports, Michel had received millions from Low to help finance the movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street.” The movie was produced by Red Granite Pictures, a company co-founded by Riza Aziz, who is the stepson of the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak. The company has been accused of using funds from 1MDB to finance the movie.
The scandal has taught us several lessons. Firstly, it has highlighted the issue of corruption in politics and the need for greater transparency in government transactions. Secondly, it has shown us the dangers of being associated with individuals who are involved in illegal activities. Finally, it has shown us the need for greater international cooperation in fighting corruption.