Pras Michel has dreams of presidential clemency from behind bars after his high-profile extortion conviction and now he’s is once again turning to Donald Trump for a helping hand.
Speaking candidly to TMZ from his jail cell, the 52-year-old Grammy-winning rapper from the legendary Hip-Hop trio Fugees recently admitted he and his legal team are actively seeking a pardon from President Trump following his dramatic 2023 conviction in a $100 million extortion scandal.
“It’s not a secret, you know, we working on a pardon,” Michel plainly revealed, openly acknowledging his hopes rest on the newly inaugurated president.
When TMZ asked if he had a specific message for the commander-in-chief, Michel didn’t hesitate to profess his positive feelings for Trump.
“At the end of the day, there’s always going to be love for any president, no matter what, and he’s the current president and you know, look to him,” Michel explained. “And all we can do is wish that, you know, wish the best for him and we all gotta play our part… so big up to him and everything he got going on and obviously I hope he turn an eye on me, obviously.”
Michel also emphasized the timing, noting that Trump’s presidency was barely underway.
“It’s only been what, 60-something days whatever it is, so you know, we just gotta stand by him,” Michel stated optimistically.
The rapper’s current circumstances are a far cry from his Hip-Hop heyday, marked by chart-topping hits and global stardom.
Earlier this year, Michel was convicted on ten counts, including conspiracy and operating as an unregistered foreign agent, after a high-stakes three-week trial exposed his involvement in an international scheme worth millions.
Now awaiting sentencing, Michel’s future hangs precariously in the balance. The irony of Michel’s current predicament is striking.
He was convicted after being caught up in the 1MDB scandal, which involved the theft of billions of dollars from the Malaysian government.
Jho Low, a disgraced financier currently wanted for his role in the scandal, allegedly provided Pras with ill-gotten money, which he then used to make political donations.
Pras was accused of making contributions through straw donors in an attempt to gain influence with high-ranking officials, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, in hopes of dropping an investigation into Low.
