Judge rules Fugees rapper Pras Michel faces up to 19 years in prison

Fugees rapper Pras Michel faces 15 to 19 years in prison after a judge sided with prosecutors in his sentencing

Fugees rapper Pras Michel is facing a lengthy prison sentence after a Washington, D.C. judge’s recent ruling.

He could serve between 15 and 19½ years in federal prison for his role in a foreign lobbying and campaign finance conspiracy linked to Malaysian billionaire Jho Low.

The decision, issued on November 4, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, marks a major setback for Michel’s defense team. In an 18-page order, the judge sided with federal prosecutors on key sentencing enhancements, including findings that Michel obstructed justice, laundered illicit funds, and acted as an unregistered foreign agent.

These determinations significantly raise the sentencing range compared to the five to six years Michel’s lawyers had argued for. The defense maintained that the Grammy-winning artist was a “political novice manipulated by foreign billionaires,” but the judge rejected that claim, writing that it “understates the severity of the offenses.”

Michel was convicted in 2023 on 10 felony counts, including conspiracy, illegal foreign lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations. Prosecutors allege he received tens of millions of dollars from fugitive financier Jho Low, who is accused of looting Malaysia’s 1MDB fund and funneling the money into U.S. political donations to influence figures connected to Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

While the ruling does not finalize Michel’s sentence, it outlines the framework for his upcoming sentencing hearing later this year. The decision adds to Michel’s ongoing legal troubles and represents a pivotal moment in the federal government’s broader effort to pursue accountability in the 1MDB corruption scandal.