Pras’ legal and financial troubles continue to mount. The Fugees co-founder has been ordered to pay the government an incredible $64 million over his foreign lobbying and conspiracy charges. According to court documents obtained by Complex, federal Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that he “obtained proceeds in the amount of at least $64,923,226 from his offense” involving failure to register as an agent of China, conspiracy, and witness tampering.
Pras was convicted on 10 criminal charges in April 2023. The case centered around his alleged involvement in helping Malaysian businessman Jho Low gain political influence with Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Prosecutors also accused him of participating in schemes to illegally channel funds into both of their presidential campaigns.
The rapper’s spokesperson, Erica Dumas, expressed his frustration about the steep financial penalty, saying, “They already took 100 [million] from him and now they want another 64 [million].”
At this point, things seem to be getting worse for the hip-hop legend, who also faces the possibility of spending up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing was originally expected in August, but concerns about his health took precedence.
He underwent emergency surgery for colon cancer, which delayed the process until October. “Due to emergency surgery to treat colon cancer, Pras was unable to appear at Friday’s scheduled sentencing,” Dumas explained at the time.
That date also came and went without resolution, meaning Pras will now learn his sentence in December. Earlier this year, rumors circulated that Donald Trump was considering issuing him a pardon, but since The Hollywood Reporter published that story, there have been no further updates.
In the meantime, Pras’ legal team has continued working to reduce his potential sentence, pointing to his health issues as part of their appeal. His lawyers have reportedly requested a three-year term, citing his medical condition and cooperation with authorities. For now, fans and supporters will have to wait until next month to see what the final outcome will be.
