Grammy-winning artist Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, former member of the 1990s hip-hop trio the Fugees, was found guilty Wednesday in a federal court on 10 criminal counts related to an international conspiracy to help China influence the U.S. government.
Michel, 50, was convicted of conspiracy, concealment of material facts, making false entries in records, witness tampering, and serving as an unregistered agent of a foreign power in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to the Department of Justice. He pleaded not guilty to all changes.
“As proven at trial, the defendant engaged in an extensive conspiracy to use millions of dollars in foreign funds to engage in illegal back-channel lobbying and make unlawful campaign contributions,” Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., said in a news release.