Pras

Pras Denied First Attempt At Overturning Political Conspiracy Conviction

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According to several confirmed reports, the first attempt to have the federal conspiracy conviction overturned for Pras of The Fugees was denied in federal court on Friday(April 12) by a judge who has presided over cases involving Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush and Microsoft.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denied the motion, saying there was more than sufficient evidence to convict Pras, whose real name is Prakazrel Michel, of the charges on the first go-round, and therefore, there was no reason to dismiss the conviction.

“After a five-week trial, a jury convicted Michel of ten counts,” the judge wrote in her memorandum. “The Court has thoroughly reviewed the extensive evidence presented at trial and finds the evidence sufficient to withstand a motion for judgment of acquittal under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. Accordingly, Michel’s [309] Motion for Judgment of Acquittal is DENIED.”

Back in January, Pras’ former attorney David Kenner pleaded guilty to leaking confidential federal grand jury files to two reporters in 2023, which is in direct violation of federal rules. The United States District Court in Washington, DC found probable cause that the ex-attorney for Michel “committed misdemeanor contempt in violation of 18 USC 401 (c)” by leaking files.

Pras was convicted of money laundering and illegitimate lobbying tactics. Just a few months later, he began working toward bringing his case back to life on grounds of his ex-attorney apparently messing up “the single most important portion” of his defense by using AI to put together a closing statement.

“Kenner’s closing argument made frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government’s case,” Pras’ new legal team stated in a brief. “The AI program failed Kenner, and Kenner failed [Pras] Michel. The closing argument was deficient, unhelpful and a missed opportunity that prejudiced the defense.”

David Kenner is the famed attorney who represented Death Row Records in the 90s and was able to secure an acquittal for Snoop Dogg’s murder trial back in 1993.

The post Pras Denied First Attempt At Overturning Political Conspiracy Conviction first appeared on The Source.

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Today in Hip Hop History: The Fugees’ Debut LP ‘Blunted On Reality’ Dropped 30 Years Ago!

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On this date in 1994, crew members Wyclef Jean, Pras, and a young, talented Lauryn Hill otherwise known as The Fugees formulated their first album entitled Blunted On Reality on Hip Hop indie imprint Ruffhouse Records.

Not as familiar to Hip Hop heads as their follow-up smash sophomore album The Score, Blunted On Reality did not receive the commercial success their first go around, yielding only 12,000 copies sold in the first two years. After the release of The Score, that number jumped to 125K.

With Clef’s hands in every aspect of production, there were very few times when the Haitian national wasn’t behind the boards during the production of this album. Other producers include Salaam Remi, Brand X, Khallis Bayyan and even Pras.

Salute to the trio for bringing us this slept on classic!

The post Today in Hip Hop History: The Fugees’ Debut LP ‘Blunted On Reality’ Dropped 30 Years Ago! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: The Fugees’ Debut LP ‘Blunted On Reality’ Dropped 30 Years Ago! appeared first on The Source.

Pras Michel Of The Fugees’ Lawyer Reportedly Pleaded Guilty To Leaking Evidence

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For years, rap fans have held out hope for The Fugees to reunite. While the legendary trio was able to perform a special set during the 2023 Roots Picnic, their previously announced tour plans were continuously disrupted. Last year, founding member Pras Michel’s legal battle was the one causing the disruption.

In April 2023, after a long-fought case, Michel was formerly found guilty of money laundering. Sadly, he isn’t the only person connected to the case facing blowback from the heavily publicized trial. According to Rolling Stone, Michel’s defensive attorney, David Kenner, is also facing the music.

The outlet reports that on January 25, Kenner reportedly pleaded guilty to leaking evidence related to the case to members of the press. As media professionals were required to sign a protective order to prevent information from being shared with the public, Kenner allegedly handed off confidential files to multiple reporters from Bloomberg.

While appearing before the judge, Kenner reportedly apologized for his misconduct. “[This is a] low point,” he said. “Obviously, I made a terrible mistake.”

Michel’s spokesperson, Erica Dumas, released a statement regarding the matter. “Mr. Kenner argues that he was merely trying to mount the best possible defense for Pras,” she said. “Mr. Kenner’s reckless actions crossed critical ethical lines, failed his duties as counsel, and ultimately have cost him dearly. This plea conviction represents a breach of client trust that strikes at the heart of the attorney-client relationship.”

It is unclear if Kenner will face time behind bars for his actions, but he has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine.

Pras Retrial Under Review Due To Defense Lawyer’s Incompetence: Report

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Despite his guilty verdict in a federal trial for political conspiracy and money laundering, it looks like Pras will still get the opportunity to fight for a second chance. Moreover, new reports from Vulture and HipHopDX indicate that earlier this month, the court called for a hearing to discuss the rapper’s defense team for three days. This is in order to determine whether he should get a retrial given the lack of competence demonstrated by his defense attorney David Kenner. For example, Vulture reports that he outsourced work to a remote medical malpractice lawyer, filed his first motion a year after being able to do so, concealed a limiting injury, and did not bring on experienced legal practitioners to assist in the process.

“Unsuccessful is not the same as ineffective,” prosecutor Nicole Lockhart remarked. Given this perceived failure to effectively represent Pras, who faces 20 years in jail on 10 counts, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly thinks this could warrant a more fair and prepared shot. As such, a sentence, retrial, or plea-bargain talks could surface as the court’s preferred method of handling this, although this is all still presumably under review at press time. According to this case’s conviction last April, the Fugees star allegedly lobbied illegally in the best interests of his colleagues, in-state and overseas, when it comes to campaign donations and other political and economic factors, in addition to other lawsuits.

Read More: Pras Reveals He Only Learned Of Fugees Reunion Last Week

Pras Arrives At Court In April 2023

Pras Retrial Defense Lawyer Hip Hop News
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 03: Pras Michel, a member of the 1990’s hip-hop group the Fugees, arrives at U.S. District Court on April 3, 2023 in Washington, DC. Michel is on trial for his alleged participation in a campaign finance conspiracy. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Not only that, but Pras’ former lawyer also allegedly used artificial intelligence to craft their closing statement, tanking their chances. “Kenner’s closing argument made frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government’s case,” his new legal team stated. The A.I. program failed Kenner, and Kenner failed [Pras] Michel. The closing argument was deficient, unhelpful and a missed opportunity that prejudiced the defense.”

Meanwhile, some reports suggest Kenner actually had a financial stake in the company that created this A.I. program, but the company EyeLevel.AI denied this despite his boasting. Regardless of all this, the New Jersey-born artist maintained his innocence. “Pras was never an FBI informant,” his publicist shared. “It’s not accurate and, quite frankly, it’s dangerous. If he was an informant, he would not be on trial. The government does not prosecute and threaten its informants with more than two decades of jail time.” For more news and the latest updates on Pras, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Wyclef Jean Says Pras Is “100% In Good Spirits” Following Conviction

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Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction

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Fugees rapper Pras was convicted on conspiracy charges to launder money for fugitive Malaysian billionaire Jho Low. Pras Michel was found guilty of 10 counts related to what prosecutors called a “clandestine foreign influence campaign scheme” funded by a wealthy Malaysian financier to peddle influence in the United States. Pras allegedly received $88 million through the scheme and is facing 20 years in prison. Now Pras is trying to get a new trial…

The Daily Mail reports:

Fugees star Pras Michel is seeking a new trial after claiming his defense attorney used AI in his closing arguments about a $100m foreign extortion plot, in the latest twist of a bizarre tale for the Grammy-winning rapper.

He was found guilty of being the lynchpin lobbyist for China in a bewildering plot whose cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Michel, who netted $88 million through the scheme, was found guilty in April of ten counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign government agent, and is facing 20 years in prison.

The rapper was the unlikely agent of flamboyant Malaysian businessman and fugitive Low Taek Jho, who paid the rapper to wield influence from the corridors of Washington D.C. to the mansions of Hollywood.

But the former Fugees star has since filed a scathing motion for a new trial, blasting his lawyer David Kenner as unprepared and unscrupulous.

The filing accuses the attorney – who has previously represented Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight – of using an ‘experimental’ AI to help him draft his closing argument in the trial.

A new defense team for Michel also claimed that Kenner had ‘a financial interest in the AI program’, called EyeLevel, and was quoted in a press release for the program.

He said of the tech: ‘This is an absolute game changer for complex litigation. The system turned hours or days of legal work into seconds. This is a look into the future of how cases will be conducted.’

Watch the video below.

The post Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction first appeared on The Source.

The post Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction appeared first on The Source.

Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction

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pras

Fugees rapper Pras was convicted on conspiracy charges to launder money for fugitive Malaysian billionaire Jho Low. Pras Michel was found guilty of 10 counts related to what prosecutors called a “clandestine foreign influence campaign scheme” funded by a wealthy Malaysian financier to peddle influence in the United States. Pras allegedly received $88 million through the scheme and is facing 20 years in prison. Now Pras is trying to get a new trial…

The Daily Mail reports:

Fugees star Pras Michel is seeking a new trial after claiming his defense attorney used AI in his closing arguments about a $100m foreign extortion plot, in the latest twist of a bizarre tale for the Grammy-winning rapper.

He was found guilty of being the lynchpin lobbyist for China in a bewildering plot whose cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Michel, who netted $88 million through the scheme, was found guilty in April of ten counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign government agent, and is facing 20 years in prison.

The rapper was the unlikely agent of flamboyant Malaysian businessman and fugitive Low Taek Jho, who paid the rapper to wield influence from the corridors of Washington D.C. to the mansions of Hollywood.

But the former Fugees star has since filed a scathing motion for a new trial, blasting his lawyer David Kenner as unprepared and unscrupulous.

The filing accuses the attorney – who has previously represented Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight – of using an ‘experimental’ AI to help him draft his closing argument in the trial.

A new defense team for Michel also claimed that Kenner had ‘a financial interest in the AI program’, called EyeLevel, and was quoted in a press release for the program.

He said of the tech: ‘This is an absolute game changer for complex litigation. The system turned hours or days of legal work into seconds. This is a look into the future of how cases will be conducted.’

Watch the video below.

The post Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction first appeared on The Source.

The post Rapper Pras Seeks New Trial Following Conviction appeared first on The Source.

The Fugees Had An On-Stage Reunion At Roots Picnic And It Could Be Their Final One Ever Given The Pras Situation

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Fugees Wyclef Jean Lauryn Hill Pras Michel Roots Picnic 2023
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Roots Picnic was this past weekend, and on June 3, Lauryn Hill performed her set. In a surprise move, to wrap up her time on stage, she brought out Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel for a six-song Fugees reunion performance. The group had been trying to make a reunion happen for some time now, and they finally did.

What’s bittersweet here, though, is that this could be the last time the three perform together.

In April, Pras was found guilty on a number of federal charges, including money laundering, campaign finance violations, acting as an unregistered agent for China, concealment and false record-keeping, witness tampering, and making false statements. Ultimately, he could spend up to 20 years in prison, meaning that future Fugees performances with him do not seem likely.

Questlove shared a video of the performance on Instagram and wrote, “@MsLaurynHill did us a solid by letting us not only letting us celebrate with her the classic #MiseducationOfLaurynHill but she also made a moment by bringing together her bredren @WyclefJean & @PrasMichel ……in what could possibly be one of the last times we will see this institution together in this setting. I’m giving all the gratitude for making this miracle of a night happen.”

Pras Files Defamation Lawsuit Against 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving & Rolling Stone Over FBI Informant Claims

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Pras of The Fugees hip-hop group has taken legal action against 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving, and Rolling Stone for alleged defamation. The lawsuit stems from social media posts and a news article suggesting that Pras was an FBI informant. Pras’ lawyer claims these false statements have harmed his client’s reputation, leading to business losses and […]

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Pras Is Suing 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving, And ‘Rolling Stone’ For Calling Him An FBI Informant

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Fugees founder Pras Michel has filed a lawsuit for defamation against 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving, and Rolling Stone magazine for calling him an FBI informant and a “rat,” according to Rolling Stone. After Rolling Stone reported on Pras’ unusual testimony during the money laundering case against him saying that he approached the FBI after meeting with a Chinese minister in 2017, rumors of Pras being an “informant” spread rapidly online. 50 Cent, who is often quick to react or joke around about hip-hop news stories on social media, called Pras “a rat” on Instagram, while Irving also shared a post calling Pras a “federal informant” on Twitter.

In a letter sent to the Rolling Stone offices Wednesday, May 10, Pras’ attorneys notified the potential defendants of their intention to take them to court. Jonathan Noah Schwartz wrote (again, according to Rolling Stone), “It is and was absolutely and demonstrably false for you to publish that Michel was a ‘government informant.’ Labeling a hip-hop artist such as Michel, the reputation of whom is dependent upon ‘street credibility’ and not being a ‘snitch,’ a ‘government informant’ most certainly tends to subject said hip-hop artist to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt and/or disgrace, along with injury in their trade or profession.”

Pras was convicted of money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations in the April trial, all charges stemming from his association with Malaysian money man Jho Low, who is himself wanted for allegedly embezzling billions from his home nation’s sovereign wealth fund.

[WATCH] The Fugees’ Pras Denies Tekashi 6ix9ine Comparisons, Says He’s Not An FBI Informant

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Last week, Pras of The Fugees was found guilty of 10 charges in an international conspiracy in federal court in Washington D.C. Rumors of the famed rapper becoming an FBI informant began to surface, but the recently convicted felon says despite the verdict, he is not an FBI informant.

While speaking to TMZ, Pras said, “I was never in the past, present, or future, an FBI or CIA informant.” He doubled down on his stance by ading where people could find the paperwork to see he was not an informant. He went on to say, “This is not a Tekashi 6ix9ine situation, respectfully speaking.”

According to an AP News report, Pras “was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financer through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, then trying to squelch a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China under the Trump administration.”

The post [WATCH] The Fugees’ Pras Denies Tekashi 6ix9ine Comparisons, Says He’s Not An FBI Informant appeared first on The Source.