Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison after being convicted of illegally channeling millions in foreign funds into former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.
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Michel, 52, declined to speak before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly delivered the sentence. His conviction in April 2023 followed a federal jury finding him guilty on 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The trial, held in Washington, D.C., featured high-profile testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Prosecutors described Michel’s conduct as a sweeping betrayal, saying he “betrayed his country for money” and “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.” They argued that federal sentencing guidelines recommended a life sentence, asserting that his punishment should match “the breadth and depth of his crimes” as well as “the magnitude of his greed.”
Michel’s defense attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, called the 14-year term “completely disproportionate,” and said the rapper will appeal both the conviction and the sentence. The defense had sought a three-year prison term and criticized prosecutors for pursuing what they described as an “absurdly high” punishment, typically reserved for violent extremists and cartel kingpins.
In a court filing, Michel’s attorneys said, “The Government’s position is one that would cause Inspector Javert to recoil,” arguing that the sentencing guidelines can be manipulated to produce “absurd results” and are ill-suited to determining a fair outcome in this case.
Michel, born in Brooklyn to Haitian immigrant parents, rose to international fame as one of the founding members of the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. The influential hip-hop group sold tens of millions of albums and won two Grammy Awards at the height of their success.
