Fugees Member Pras Michel Exposes Himself As An FBI Informant During Conspiracy Trial

Fugees member Pras Michel has reportedly admitted to snitching at a federal trial last week.

According to Rolling Stone, Michel, one-third of the New Jersey-bred hip-hop group, The Fugees, is currently on trial in federal court. The embattled rapper has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and falsifying records. The charges are related to Pras’ alleged involvement with Malaysian financier Jho Low, who is accused of finessing $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

In a rarity, Michel decided to testify in his own defense. He reportedly told the judge in the case he was doing so “after consulting with my attorneys and the universe.”

The case is against Michel and Low, but the financier is not in court due to his fugitive status.

Federal prosecutors have accused the Jersey recording artist of getting millions from assisting Low in running foreign-influence campaigns against the United States government while Barack Obama and Donald Trump were in office. Michel is accused of channeling money from Low to Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. He is also accused of lobbying the Trump administration to drop an investigation into Low and extradite dissident Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.

Michel admitted to prosecutors last week that he voluntarily met with FBI agents to assist with China’s attempts to deport Wengui.

He told the courtroom he was a “celebrity surrogate” for Low, admitting the financier compensated him $20 million in 2012 to help him get a photo with Obama. He said that he was “basically asked for $1 million to begin to think about how” he might be able to get Low that long-sought-after photo with Obama. Over nine months, that price tag was raised to $20 million, with Low eventually getting that photo opportunity at a White House Christmas party.

Michel said he never made any political donations on Low’s behalf. Anything he did, he ran those activities with his attorneys and accountants to make sure everything was done correctly.

He also testified about his alleged attempts to get the U.S. to extradite Wengui. He claims he was not acting as an agent for China, and he met with FBI agents on his own several times to discuss Wengui and three Americans being held hostage in China.

“I took it upon myself to report because I thought the FBI should know,” Michel said.

CBS News reported that the Ghetto Supastar testified that “no one I spoke to ever mentioned” that he needed to register as a foreign agent if he was working on China’s behalf. He claimed if he had known, he would have done so.

Prosecutors said Michel attended a meeting between Republican lobbyist Elliott Broidy and the Malaysian prime minister the night before the prime minister was going to meet with Trump. The rapper said he was only there to “say hello” and nothing more.

Michel’s legal team, led by celebrity attorney David Kenner, said he believed he had acted in the country’s best interest and did not act as a foreign agent of China. They have tried several times to have the charges dismissed on various grounds of selective and illicit prosecution.