Espionage, money laundering and bank fraud. It is the accusation that has overwhelmed the rapper Pras Michél, former member of the Fugees and winner of a Grammy.
The artist was found guilty of cashing money from a controversial Malaysian tycoon, working in the service of China and conspiring against the US government. Now he faces up to 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Pras Michél helped the Beijing authorities gain access to top US officials, including former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
The rapper was also allegedly paid by Malaysian financier Jho Low , suspected of having made his country's sovereign wealth funds disappear 4.5 billion dollars.
Michél testified that he received 20 million dollars in 2012 to approach Obama, while in 2017, with Trump as president, Low would again turn to the rapper to mediate to convince the US government and the White House to drop the investigation into the missing money .
The indictment also claims that the artist collaborated with Beijing with the aim of obtaining the extradition of the Chinese dissident, Guo Wengui.
(Unioneonline/lf)
