The next phase of Pras Michel’s legal fight is officially underway. His legal team submitted a Notice of Appeal on December 4 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The filing, prepared by attorney Peter Zeidenberg, sets the stage for Michel to challenge his conviction and the 168 month sentence issued on November 24.
Much of the case centers on Michel’s relationship with Malaysian financier Jho Low, the fugitive businessman accused of orchestrating massive fraud through the 1MDB fund.
Investigators said Michel received more than 100 million dollars from Low. According to federal prosecutors, that money was used to influence political decisions in the United States and support Low’s efforts to avoid extradition.
Michel’s conviction arrived in April 2023 when a jury found him guilty on 10 criminal charges. The counts included conspiracy, money laundering, illegal foreign lobbying, witness tampering, and acting as an unregistered agent for a foreign government. Prosecutors said he moved foreign money into Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign and later tried to sway individuals connected to the Trump administration to disrupt the federal inquiry into the 1MDB scheme.
Authorities described the overall effort as a hidden back channel influence operation intended to slow down one of the largest financial investigations ever pursued by the United States. The case became even more notable because prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act remain rare. In addition to prison time, Michel was ordered to forfeit 65 million dollars.
During the sentencing phase, Michel’s attorneys asked for probation. They pointed to his charitable work and argued he had been misled by Jho Low, who is still on the run. The judge denied their request and upheld the lengthy sentence.
Michel’s trial drew national attention for another reason. His defense team used artificial intelligence to assist with parts of the case.
A press release stated that it was “the first instance of generative AI being used in a federal trial.” Michel later said the technology damaged his defense. He claimed it caused him to “make frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government’s case.” He requested a new trial because of this, but the court refused.
With the appeal now in motion, the D.C. Circuit will examine the record to determine if any legal or procedural mistakes occurred.
The review process can take a long time before reaching a conclusion, and the outcome will determine whether Michel receives another chance to fight the case.
