Fugees Rapper ‘Pras’ Charged With Pressuring Trump Admin to Drop 1MDB Probe
RAPPING BARS TO BEHIND BARS
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Rapper and businessman Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was hit with a new superseding indictment in the embezzlement investigation involving Malaysia’s 1MDB investment fund, prosecutors announced Thursday. Michel is alleged to have launched a backchannel campaign to get then-President Donald Trump and his Department of Justice to drop an investigation into Malaysian businessman Jho Low and 1MDB, which was created to foster foreign development. He’s also accused of urging the government to extradite a Chinese critic to China. His charges include witness tampering and conspiracy to commit false statements to banks, the announcement said. Another alleged co-conspirator, Trump mega-fundraiser Elliott Broidy, was pardoned for the effort earlier this year.
The charges come more than two years after authorities accused Michel and Low of funneling millions of dollars into the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Michel pleaded not guilty to those charges. Low has not been arrested in either case and remains at large.