Hip-hop artist Pras, best known as a member of the Fugees, is currently caught up in the 1MDB scandal, which has been ongoing for several years now.
The scandal involved the theft of billions of dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund, which was set up to promote economic development in Malaysia.
Jho Low, a disgraced financier currently wanted for his role in the scandal, allegedly provided Pras with ill-gotten money, which he then used to make political donations.
The donations were made to gain influence with high-ranking officials, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Pras has been indicted on several charges for his alleged involvement in the 1MDB scandal, including conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and making false statements.
The government alleges that Pras used the money provided by Jho Low to make political donations without properly registering as a foreign agent.
In an effort to defend himself against these charges, Pras has been seeking to have both Obama and Trump testify at his trial.
The rap star argues that their testimony is necessary to establish his motive for making the political donations and to show that attending campaign events and discussing politics with non-registered foreign agents were not overt acts to further the alleged conspiracy.
However, earlier this week, the Court recently granted the government’s motion to bar the testimony of the former presidents.
In response, Pras just filed a motion asking the Court to reconsider its decision.
Pras argues that without the testimony of Obama and Trump, the government can mislead the jury and present a distorted version of events.
He also contends that their testimony is relevant to several matters involving his interactions with Jho Low and Frank White between 2012 and 2014.
The Court has yet to rule on Pras’s motion to reconsider, but the case continues to attract significant attention.
The 1MDB scandal has been one of the largest and most high-profile financial scandals in recent years, and the involvement of a well-known musician like Pras only adds to the intrigue.