Fugees rapper Pras Michel begins 14-year prison sentence over money laundering charges

Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel reported to prison to begin his 14-year sentence for money laundering and illegal lobbying.

The 53-year-old turned himself in on Thursday to the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford, Arizona, his spokesperson, Erica Dumas, confirmed in a statement to Rolling Stone.

“Today is a painful day for Pras, for his family, and for everyone who believes in a fair system of justice,” Dumas said.

“Pras honors the legal process as he reports to begin his sentence,” Dumas continued, confirming they are “vigorously” trying to appeal the charges.

The spokesperson added that Michel’s legal team “believes the record will show that his rights were violated and the truth was obscured.”

“This chapter is difficult but it is not his final one,” the statement concluded.

Page Six reached out to Dumas for comment.

In April 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel on ten criminal counts, including money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering and failing to register as a foreign agent, according to CNN.

Michel was accused in 2019 of illegally funneling millions of dollars from Malaysian financier Jho Low in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.

The singer also allegedly tried to impede an investigation into Low’s money laundering scam and tried to persuade the U.S. to extradite a Chinese dissident, per Entertainment Weekly.

When Michel was sentenced in November 2025, Justice Department prosecutors said the singer “betrayed his country” and “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.”

Michel was initially ordered to surrender in January, but the judge delayed his prison start date to March, before giving him another 30-day extension.

Dumas told Rolling Stone that Michel’s appeal “is in the very beginning stages,” noting that they’re dealing with “a very complicated case.”

The spokesperson said Michel was busy during his final weeks of freedom, including attending Kanye West’s concert in Los Angeles on April 3, where he hung out in a suite with Dave Chappelle and Eryka Badu.

Dumas also said Michel sang along during former bandmate Lauryn Hill’s performance with West.

Michel, Hill and Wyclef Jean formed the Fugees in 1990. The group won two Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album for “The Score,” before disbanding in 1998.