EXCLUSIVE: Government Seeking $64M From Fugees’ Pras After Conviction
The U.S. government is moving to seize over $64 million from Grammy-winning Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel following his conviction on a range of conspiracy charges and financial crimes, alleging the funds came from illicit lobbying and fraudulent schemes.
Prosecutors filed a motion in Washington, D.C.’s federal court seeking a forfeiture judgment of precisely $64,923,226.40.
They argue this sum represents money Pras funneled into his accounts through a tangle of covert dealings, including work as an unregistered foreign agent and deceptive financial activities that prosecutors say compromised U.S. systems of law and finance.
At the heart of the case is Pras’ relationship with Jho Low, the fugitive Malaysian financier tied to the infamous 1MDB embezzlement scandal. Through this partnership, the rapper allegedly channeled roughly $104 million from Low to influence U.S. government officials.
His work reportedly included lobbying for the dismissal of a Justice Department investigation into Low’s alleged crimes and attempts to push for the extradition of a Chinese dissident at the behest of Beijing.
According to court filings, Pras concealed the source of the money using an intricate network of shell companies, fraudulent contracts, and deceptive financial agreements.
Prosecutors claim Pras, alongside collaborators including Elliot Broidy, a financier and GOP fundraiser, and George Higginbotham, a former Justice Department lawyer, orchestrated an elaborate scheme to gain access to U.S. banks while lying repeatedly about their intentions.
“Michel and Higginbotham created fake contracts and agreements and repeatedly lied to multiple financial institutions as part of their conspiracy to fraudulently obtain access to the U.S. banking system for the $104.24 million from Low,” prosecutors explained in the court documents.
The request for forfeiture comes in the wake of Pras’ conviction, handed down in April, where he was found guilty on 10 federal counts, including charges related to violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
His trial, one of the most high-profile cases involving a celebrity in a foreign lobbying scandal, provided a rare glimpse into the intersection of global financial crime, politics, and pop culture.
The government has already seized some sums tied to the case, but the $64 million figure reflects the remaining amounts deemed to have been proceeds from criminal conduct.
In their motion, prosecutors asserted that federal law mandates the forfeiture of criminal proceeds tied to specific offenses.
They pointed to his efforts to launder funds and influence U.S. officials as examples of conduct warranting the seizure of assets.
Pras’ legal team is anticipated to contest the motion, though the evidence presented during his trial included a trail of emails, bank records, and wire transfers that traced the movements of these funds.
Pras faces up to 20 years in prison. His next sentencing hearing is slated for January of 2025.