Home / Arts and Entertainment / Fugees Star Pras Michel Reports to Prison for 14 Years
Fugees Star Pras Michel Reports to Prison for 14 Years
1 May
Summary
- Fugees rapper Pras Michel surrendered to begin his 14-year sentence.
- He was convicted of money laundering and illegal lobbying charges.
- Michel's legal team plans to vigorously appeal the conviction.
Prakazrel Michel, widely known as Pras from the Fugees, has begun serving a 14-year prison sentence. He surrendered to the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford, Arizona, on March 1, 2026, to commence his time for money laundering and illegal lobbying convictions. His spokesperson expressed that this is a painful day but emphasized that his legal team will "vigorously" appeal the conviction, asserting that his rights were violated and the truth obscured.
The rapper was found guilty in April 2023 on 10 charges. These included accusations of funneling money from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low through straw donors to support Barack Obama's 2012 campaign. He was also charged with attempting to impede an investigation into Low's money laundering scheme and trying to persuade the U.S. to extradite a Chinese dissident.
Michel's request for a new trial, based on claims his former lawyer used AI to draft a bungled closing statement, was denied. He was formally sentenced to 14 years in federal prison in October 2025. The 53-year-old spent time with family and attended a concert before his surrender.
