Fugees rapper Pras reports to prison to begin 14-year sentence [Illegal foreign money to Obama re-election campaign]

AP ^ | 06 01 2026 | Staff

[yesthatjallen]

Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees has reported to federal prison to begin a 14-year sentence following a conviction over illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.

Michel reported to prison Thursday, a spokesperson said, with federal records listing him as an inmate at a low-security correctional institution in Arizona.

“Today is a painful day for Pras, for his family, and for everyone who believes in a fair system of justice. Pras honors the legal process as he reports to begin his sentence,” said Erica Dumas, a spokesperson for Michel, adding that his legal team is still contesting his charges.

“This chapter is difficult, but it is not his final one,” Dumas said.

Michel, 53, was convicted in 2023 on 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He was sentenced late last year.

SNIP

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TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: campaign; crime; fraud; moneylaundering; music; obama; obooboo; obungler; pras; rapper

[PGR88]

He’ll be out in 2

[frank ballenger]

Inmate: “Can you sing Down in the Valley? Grossberger used to lead singalongs here.”

[gildafarrell]

Un”freakin”believable. 2012 illegal contributions but doesn’t get convicted until 2023. If this info had surfaced in 2012, odoofus the illegal islamic would probably not have been re-elected considering that was the year that Benghazi massacre occurred.

[A strike]

gee, ‘only’ 14+ years after Osama team illegal election activity (which, of course, never happens)..

[yesthatjallen]

"He’ll be out in 2"

I don't know how long he'll be in but he was sentenced to 14 YEARS. Whatever he was a part of was big and yet we're only hearing about this now and it's not being widely reported.

[Buck-Toothed Knuckle Dragger]

“Grammy-winning” is all you need to know.

[alexander_busek]

Until stumbling upon this article, I had no idea what/who a "Fugees" or a "Pras" was. But after reading the respective Wikipedia articles I can report to my fellow FReepers the following:

1. The "foreign government" of which Pras was an unregistered agent was Malaysia.
2. The "illegally funneled funds" were also embezzled from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund involving billions (though Pras diverted "only" $865,000 to Obama's election campaign).
3. Wasn't able to determine (on the basis of these two Wikipedia articles) the extent to which Pras, himself, financially benefited from the sovereign wealth fund embezzlement and/or illegal campaign fund contributions - he may have simply been a wide-eyed "true believer" in "Lord 'Bammy," or he may have been enjoying some ancillary "perks" due to his complicity - simply don't know; maybe a little from column "A," and a little from column "B."

N.B.: Legal proceedings against Pras didn't commence until Trump's first term.

Finally: Pras, enjoy your time in prison!

Regards,

[Organic Panic]

He gets 14 when some black thug with 50 violent felonies get released in a few years for rape or murder.

I assume Praz didn’t face a foreign black America hating judge.

[Organic Panic]

Maybe they are using this as leverage for some bigger fish?

“The Art of the Deal ?”

[LegendHasIt]

Figures... The guy who merely set up the deal gets a long prison term....
But the guy who actually benefited from the illegal money is ‘free as a bird’.

[Libloather]