Former Fugees member Pras Michel was found guilty Wednesday in Washington, D.C. of 10 charges related to influence peddling.
The 50-year-old was on trial for conspiracy to defraud the U.S., witness tampering and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government as well as campaign finance violations, lying to banks and other charges.
Michel was part of a conspiracy to help Malaysian billionaire Jho Low and the Chinese government gain access to U.S. officials, including former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The Grammy winner received $100 million U.S. for his efforts, according to prosecutors.
Testifying in his own defence, Michel said he was never directed how to spend the money, which he claimed was an investment in a media company he was launching.
Michel faces up to 20 years in prison. His lawyer said he has filed motions for a mistrial and will file an appeal.
Michel formed the Fugees with Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill in 1990 and released acclaimed studio albums in 1994 and 1996. The trio’s biggest success came from their cover of 1971’s “Killing Me Softly.”