Ex-Fugees rapper charged in campaign-finance conspiracy case

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the founding members of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees has been charged in a campaign-finance conspiracy that took place during the 2012 presidential election, the Justice Department said today.

A four-count indictment accuses Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of conspiring with fugitive Malaysian financer Low Taek Jho, usually known as Jho Low, to make and conceal foreign campaign contributions. He is alleged to have used straw donors to give campaign contributions to a U.S. presidential candidate, who is identified in the indictment only as Candidate A.

Low has gained attention in the last several years after U.S. officials accused him of masterminding a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1MDB. He's been charged separately by both U.S. and Malaysian officials in connection with that alleged fraud but remains at large.

Prosecutors allege that from June to November 2012, Low directed more than $21.6 million to be moved from foreign entities to Michel's accounts in order to funnel money into the 2012 presidential election. They say Michel then paid about 20 straw donors and conduits so they could make the donations in their names and conceal where the money actually came from, according to the indictment.

More than $1 million was also sent to an independent expenditure committee, prosecutors said.

"Mr. Michel is extremely disappointed that so many years after the fact the government would bring charges related to 2012 campaign contributions," said defense lawyer Barry Pollack. "Mr. Michel is innocent of these charges and looks forward to having the case heard by a jury."