Fugees co-founder Pras Michél breaks silence on involvement in 1MDB scandal

Pras Michél speaks out about his conviction in the 1MDB scandal and the looming possibility of 22 years in prison.

Pras Michél, the Grammy-winning artist and founding member of the legendary hip-hop group the Fugees, is facing 22 years in federal prison after being convicted for his involvement in one of the largest financial scandals in recent history—the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

In a candid interview with Variety, the 53-year-old reflects on how he became entangled in the billion-dollar embezzlement scheme and his upcoming sentencing.

Michél was found guilty last year on charges of violating campaign finance laws and lobbying foreign officials without registering as an agent. He was accused of helping financier Jho Low illegally funnel money into U.S. politics in exchange for favors, including meetings with top officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations. His role, however, wasn’t initially clear to him. "I don’t know if subconsciously it was a bit exciting for me too,” Michél said, recalling how the high-stakes nature of the scandal felt almost surreal. “I like spy movies, but I never wanted to be a spy. I don’t think that’s sexy. But a part of it felt like that.”

Michél’s involvement with 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund from Malaysia, began after his connection to Low, a financier at the center of the scandal. Low, a well-connected figure in Hollywood and political circles, used Michél as a middleman to further his goals. Michél was involved in helping arrange meetings, including one with high-ranking Chinese officials in a secretive meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan. "The one thing that was weird to me: the fact that the Four Seasons has a private elevator. I never knew that," Michél recalled. "It felt natural, but in hindsight, it wasn’t."

The trial that followed was a media circus. High-profile figures like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kim Kardashian were brought up during testimony, and Michél was portrayed by the prosecution as the mastermind behind a complex campaign finance scheme. Despite his claim of innocence, Michél was convicted on ten charges and now faces a sentence that could keep him behind bars for over two decades.

Reflecting on the case, Michél believes he was scapegoated. "The government needed a prize. They needed a head, and I was the low-hanging fruit,” he said. His lawyers are now planning an appeal, believing that Michél didn’t receive a fair trial.

While Michél grapples with his legal troubles, he remains focused on the future. “I’m going to fight, and I’m going to appeal, but there’s a possibility that I’m going in while I’m fighting," he added, resigned to the harsh realities ahead. The case continues to cast a long shadow over his career, but his story is far from over. He remains hopeful that justice will eventually prevail, even as his world crumbles around him.