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Pras Michel has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was convicted of international conspiracy charges.
During a federal court hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 20, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that Michel will spend over a decade behind bars after he was previously ordered to pay $64 million. Prosecutors originally campaigned for a "severe" sentence of more than two decades, which would match sentences of others who had been convicted of serious financial scandals. However, Michel's attorneys requested a light sentence of 36 months since higher sentences are “typically reserved for terrorists who murder innocents and the heads of the largest Mexican drug cartels.”
“Pras has spent his career breaking barriers and defying expectations," Pras' spokesperson Erica Dumas told Billboard. "While today marks a difficult moment, it is not the end of his story or his legacy. He is profoundly grateful for the continued support of those who believe in him as he prepares for what lies ahead.”
Michel was charged with conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions and failing to register as an agent of China. He faced 10 counts of conspiracy, lying to the Federal Election Commission, and witness tampering. He was accused of making attempts to connect Malaysian entrepreneur Jho Low and the Chinese government to both the Obama and Trump administrations.
During the trial, Michel took the witness stand and admitted that he accepted $20 million from Low in 2012 in order to get a photo with former President Obama. However, he denied accepting $100 million from Low to convince the Trump administration to drop the investigation into Low's role in the embezzlement scandal involving Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB.
Pras Michel's attorneys will begin the appeal process for both his sentence and his convictions. He is expected to surrender to authorities on January 27, 2026.