Fugees Rapper Pras Ordered to Pay $64M After Foreign Lobbying Conviction

Pras Michel, the Grammy-winning rapper and member of The Fugees, has been ordered to pay nearly $65 million to the U.S. government following his 2023 conviction on charges including conspiracy, illegal foreign lobbying, and acting as an unregistered agent of China. The charges stem from his role in funneling money connected to Malaysian financier Jho Low into Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign and attempting to influence investigations during the Trump administration. Despite his legal team's request for a reduced sentence of three years, Michel faces up to 10 years in federal prison at his December sentencing. His spokeswoman has expressed frustration over the financial penalties, noting that authorities had already seized $100 million from him. Michel's sentencing was delayed due to emergency surgery for colon cancer. The case involved high-profile testimony and has drawn attention to international political interference and campaign finance violations.