*A federal judge ruled on October 30 that Pras Michel must forfeit $64 million in assets connected to his conviction in an international bribery and money-laundering conspiracy. The order comes as the former Fugees member recovers from emergency colon cancer surgery that has delayed his sentencing multiple times, All Hip Hop reports.
Michel was convicted in April 2023 on 10 felony counts, including conspiracy, illegal campaign contributions, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The charges stem from his involvement with Malaysian financier Jho Low and the notorious $4.5 billion 1MDB sovereign wealth fund scandal. Per Variety, Department of Justice special agent Harry Lidsky said, “Michél played a central role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to improperly influence top government officials, including the then-president [Trump] and the then-attorney general [Sessions].”
Federal prosecutors claim the forfeited assets represent money Michel received or controlled through shell companies and accounts funded by Low, who remains a fugitive. The U.S. government has seized nearly $80 million from Michel, with prosecutors alleging he earned over $100 million through his role in the scandal. FBI assistant director Luis Quesada added that Michél “brazenly conspired to help a foreign national launder millions of dollars in illegitimate campaign contributions into the 2012 U.S. presidential election.”
Low, who sits at the center of the 1MDB scandal, famously financed the 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street” and cultivated connections in Hollywood circles. During Michel’s federal trial, Leonardo DiCaprio testified as a prosecution witness about his interactions with the financier. While multiple individuals were implicated in the investigation, Michel is the only person currently awaiting sentencing, as Low remains at large.
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Michel’s sentencing has been postponed three times, most recently due to his August 2025 emergency surgery for colon cancer. Originally scheduled for August 29, then moved to October 3, his sentencing date remains uncertain as President Donald Trump reportedly considers a potential pardon. He faces up to 22 years in federal prison.
Meanwhile, Michel is moving forward with a documentary project. Partnering with Mark Wahlberg, he’s chronicling his legal ordeal for an upcoming film.
“Everyone is fascinated by all the twists and turns, like it’s some kind of thriller,” Michél said, per Variety. “But for me, this is just my life — the real, messy, complicated truth of what I’ve been living through.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Mark Wahlberg to Chronicle Fugees’ Pras Michél’s Legal Saga in New Documentary
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