Pras Takes the Stand

Two weeks ago the international money laundering trial for Fugees rapper Pras Michel kicked off in D.C. where he is accused of failing to register as a foreign agent and making illegal campaign contributions to Barack Obama [click here if you missed that]. 

This week Pras took the stand in his own defense...

From NBC News

Rapper and producer Pras Michel, who has been accused of conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions and failing to register as an agent of China, took the stand in his own defense Tuesday morning in a Washington, D.C., federal courtroom.

Michel said the money he accepted from a Malaysian businessman who wanted his photo with President Barack Obama wasn't intended as illegal foreign campaign contributions.

Michel, best known as a member of the '90s hip-hop group Fugees, told jurors that he accepted about $20 million in 2012 from a Malaysian businessman who wanted his photo taken with President Barack Obama but that the large amounts were never intended as illegal foreign campaign contributions or as payment for Michel’s services.

“I looked at it as free money,” Michel said, insisting that after the businessman, Jho Low, gave him the money it was his to spend how he wanted.

“I could’ve bought 12 elephants with it,” Michel said.

Michel is charged with 10 counts total consisting of conspiracy, lying to the Federal Election Commission, witness tampering and failure to register as a foreign agent.

Low, Michel’s co-defendant, is also charged with four felony counts of conspiracy and failure to register as a foreign agent. Low has in addition been accused of stealing billions of dollars from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, 1MDB. He hasn't been arrested and remains an international fugitive.

Prosecutors allege Low and Michel plotted to donate Low’s money, via Michel, to the 2012 Obama campaign to get Low access for his desired photo opportunity. As part of the scheme, prosecutors say, Michel passed on smaller amounts of Low’s money to straw donors who contributed to the campaign in their own names.