Rapper Pras Michel was found guilty on Wednesday of ten criminal counts in connection with an international conspiracy to assist China in influencing US politics and government.
The former Fugees member was accused of assisting fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low in gaining access to the highest levels of the US government for the Chinese government. According to CNN, this included gaining access to former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
The rapper was reportedly found guilty of “conspiracy to defraud the US” and “witness tampering.” Additionally, he was also found guilty of “acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.”
According to CNN, Pras Michel faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. However, no sentencing date for the rapper has been set as of yet.
Furthermore, the rapper has maintained his innocence, according to the New York Post.
The Grammy-winning artist testified last week that Low paid him $20 million in 2012 to secure a photograph of himself with Obama. Prosecutors claim that Michel then directed more than $800,000 of those funds to Obama’s re-election campaign through a series of straw donors.
Pras Michel testified that he believed he could spend the money however he pleased. He also stated that he had never acted under the supervision of Low.
“I could have bought 12 elephants with it,” he told the jury.
Prosecutors claimed that Low approached Michel again after Trump was elected in 2016.
Around that time, federal authorities ramped up their investigations into Low and his alleged embezzlement of billions of dollars from 1MBD, a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund and strategic development company.
Low allegedly sent Michel over $100 million in an attempt to sway the US government. Furthermore, the money was allegedly intended to halt the investigation into the Malaysian businessman.
According to federal prosecutors, Pras Michel also supported the extradition of Chinese dissident Guo Wengui at the request of the Chinese government.
Meanwhile, Pras Michel testified that all he did was try to find a lawyer in the United States for Low. He also stated that the $100 million was for a media company he was launching.
He went on to deny that Low made the massive investment.
Low, who is believed to be in China, was sentenced in absentia last month to ten years in a Kuwaiti prison for his role in laundering at least $1 billion linked to $4.5 billion stolen from 1MDB, according to the New York Post.
The $1 billion was laundered through Kuwait via Chinese currency. This was due to Low’s effort to keep the funds out of the US banking system “and out of reach of the Justice Department and its investigators,” the outlet reported.