Pras Michel of the legendary Fugees was scheduled to be sentenced in his high-profile federal conspiracy case on August 29, but the hearing was unexpectedly postponed after the rapper underwent emergency surgery to treat colon cancer.
His attorney Erica Dumas confirmed the development in a statement to Complex, noting, “Pras was unable to attend his scheduled sentencing hearing on Friday due to emergency medical surgery to remove cancer from his colon. We wish him a complete and speedy recovery as he navigates both his legal matters and his health journey.”
Pras’s legal troubles date back to 2019, when he was indicted for allegedly funneling $865,000 into Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign through foreign sources. He was also accused of conspiring with Malaysian financier Jho Low in a $73 million laundering scheme, while reportedly working alongside former Justice Department official George Higginbotham to help Low skirt federal scrutiny.
In April 2023, Pras was convicted on all ten counts in the case, leaving him facing a possible 20-year prison sentence. He has remained free on bond while pursuing appeals. During trial proceedings, speculation emerged that Pras had acted as a covert FBI informant, claims he firmly denied.
There were even reports shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration that the former president considered pardoning Pras, though the White House never confirmed the discussions. For now, his legal fate remains on hold as he recovers from surgery, with a new sentencing date expected in the coming weeks.
