Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Ordered to Hand Over $64 Million After Federal Conviction

Fugees rapper Pras Michel is dealing with another major setback in his legal battles. A federal judge has ordered him to pay nearly $65 million for his role in illegal foreign lobbying, conspiracy, and witness tampering.

Court documents reveal that Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly determined Pras “obtained proceeds in the amount of at least $64,923,226 from his offense.” His spokesperson, Erica Dumas, expressed frustration, saying, “They already took 100 million from him and now they want another 64 million.”

Pras’ sentencing is scheduled for December, and he could face up to ten years in prison. His legal team has requested a reduced sentence of three years.

The case stems from his 2023 conviction for funneling money from Malaysian financier Jho Low through straw donors to support Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.

Prosecutors also said he tried to influence a Justice Department investigation and a Chinese extradition case during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Earlier this year, the court proceedings to decide how much Pras would owe were delayed because he had emergency colon cancer surgery. His lawyers said he “experienced a significant medical concern for which he is seeking medical treatment.” Dumas added, “Due to emergency surgery to treat colon cancer, Pras was unable to appear at Friday’s scheduled sentencing. We are hopeful for his swift healing and recovery during this challenging chapter.”

At the start of the year, reports suggested that Trump had considered granting Pras a pardon, though nothing came of it.