American rapper Pras Michel faces more than 20 years in prison. The former member of hip-hop group Fugees was found guilty of a total of 10 charges in connection with an international political conspiracy by a federal court in Washington on Wednesday. This is reported by, among others, the TV channel CNN. The conspiracy had reached “up to the highest level of the United States government”.
The court ruled that the Grammy winner wanted to help Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the Chinese government gain access to senior US politicians, including former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The conspiracy had largely failed and had come to light. The exact sentence for the 50-year-old has not yet been determined, and a date for the announcement has not yet been given.
His lawyer, David Kenner, told the press after the verdict that he was disappointed. However, he was confident that his request for a rescheduling of the entire process could succeed. He also announced an appeal: “It’s not over yet.” His client only wanted to make money and was legally advised badly.
What does Leonardo DiCaprio have to do with the Malaysian investor?
Pras Michel first met Jho Low in 2006. The businessman financed major Hollywood productions such as “The Wolf of Wall Street” and had world-famous friends such as Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio and entrepreneur Paris Hilton. DiCaprio also testified at Pras Michel’s trial. Low presented himself to him as a serious businessman and also announced that he wanted to donate to the Obama campaign.
The problem: In the United States, it is illegal for foreigners to donate money to an election campaign or to make money available to third parties for this purpose. However, according to the court, Low gave Michel $ 20 million, which he then used in large part for the Obama election campaign. Low also later tried to suppress a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition process on behalf of China during the Trump years.
The Malaysian investor Low is seen as the mastermind behind the plot and has since gone into hiding. In 2017, he was in the press for a connection with DiCaprio. At the time, the US Department of Justice seized assets worth approximately $540 million on money laundering charges. DiCaprio then had to hand over a painting by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) that Low had received to the American authorities.
(t-online, spot on news)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
