Pras Michel filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on December 4, challenging his 14-year federal prison sentence tied to a sprawling foreign influence and money laundering case involving Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the 1MDB scandal.
The Fugees rapper, whose legal team is led by attorney Peter Zeidenberg, is seeking to overturn the 168-month sentence handed down on November 24 after a Washington jury convicted him in April 2023 on 10 counts, including conspiracy, illegal foreign lobbying, witness tampering and money laundering.
Federal prosecutors accused Michel of accepting more than $100 million from Low to sway U.S. political outcomes and shield the fugitive financier from extradition.
The Justice Department said Michel funneled foreign funds into Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign and later tried to influence the Trump administration to halt its probe into the 1MDB scandal.
The case spotlighted what prosecutors described as a “back-channel lobbying campaign” aimed at derailing U.S. investigations into the multibillion-dollar fraud surrounding Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
The 1MDB case has triggered criminal proceedings in multiple countries and remains one of the largest financial scandals in recent history.
Michel’s conviction is among the few under the rarely enforced Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires individuals acting on behalf of foreign entities to disclose their activities to the Justice Department.
Alongside his prison sentence, the Grammy-winning artist was ordered to forfeit $65 million.
During sentencing, Michel’s attorneys pushed for probation, citing his philanthropic efforts and arguing that he was manipulated by Low, who remains on the run. The court rejected that request.
The trial also drew attention for its use of artificial intelligence software, a first in a federal criminal case. Michel’s legal team used the technology to sift through evidence and shape legal strategies. However, the AI-assisted defense did not sway the jury.
The D.C. Circuit will now evaluate whether errors occurred during Michel’s trial or sentencing. The appeals process could stretch out over months or even years.
Pras Michel rose to fame in the 1990s as a founding member of the Fugees alongside Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill. The group’s 1996 album The Score became a Hip-Hop classic, featuring hits like “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly.”