Malaysian fugitive Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, and former Fugees rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel were charged for their alleged involvement in a back-channel campaign in 2017 linked to then-President Donald Trump to drop an investigation tied to the 1Malaysia Development embezzlement scandal, reports said Saturday.
The new charges against Low, 39 and Michel, 48, come six months after Trump pardoned former top Republican fundraiser Elliot Broidy in connection with his guilty plea in October for taking part in the illegal lobbying effort on Low's behalf, CNBC said.
Low and Michel's aim was to influence the U.S. Justice Department during Trump's presidency to abandon the inquiry of Low and others and to have a Chinese dissident - said to be billionaire Guo Wengui, according to reports by CNBC and Bloomberg - returned to China.
The pair conspired with Broidy, who was paid $9 million by Low, Nickie Lum Davis, and others to engage in undisclosed lobbying campaigns at the direction of Low and the Vice Minister of Public Security for the People's Republic of China, where U.S. federal officials believe Low is currently hiding.
Low and Michel were charged in a Washington federal court in 2019 with allegedly illegally funneling millions of dollars of Low's money to bankroll the 2012 presidential campaign of then-President Barack Obama, the U.S. Justice Department said.
With singer Lauryn Hill and fellow rapper Wyclef Jean, Michel was a member of the Fugees, which had some of the biggest hits of the 1990s.
Low was known to have built an $8 billion fund aimed at developing Malaysia's economy. Malaysian and U.S. authorities claim he spent the pilfered money on private jets, yachts, sports cars, parties and luxury properties.
According to reports, Low and his associates allegedly used some swindled cash to finance Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street," a film about a financial fraudster.
If convicted, Low could face a maximum penalty of five to 10 years in prison, while Michel could face a range of maximum penalties from five to 20 years in prison.
