Fugees member Pras Michel and Malaysian businessman Jho Low were charged with money laundering a year ago and arrested in connection with an estimated billion dollar scheme which they were later found not to guilty. It has now come in the news that Catch Me If You Can star Leonardo DiCaprio has come forward to testify against the two and their alleged crimes.
The actor testified in 2019 against the scheme that allegedly helped fund the hit movie The wolf of Wall Street directed by Michael Scorsese. Sources now say he could be subpoenaed again to give evidence in Pras’ trial which is due to start on November 4, 2022.
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Leonardo DiCaprio is once again drawn into the Michel Pras affair
Rapper Pras Michel, 49, who was a member of the Fugees, was linked to Jho Low, 40, a Malaysian businessman who is now wanted for allegedly stealing billions from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, a fund of state-run economic development in Malaysia.
For his help in helping Low, who is well known for his celebrity connections, with the scheme, Michel reportedly raised between $8 million and $40 million. Three former Trump White House employees, including former chief of staff John Kelly, former deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and former national security adviser HR McMaster, are also included as witnesses. In 2019, Pras was also accused of helping Low defraud US authorities by transferring more than $21 million in foreign currency. According to the Washington Post, he is accused of hiding nearly $1 million in funds by using 20 contributors to donate to Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.
Prosecutors had said in court papers that Michel and Low also engaged in covert lobbying on behalf of the Chinese government to persuade members of the Trump administration to remove a wealthy Chinese dissident from the United States. Although exile was not mentioned by the prosecution in court documents, Guo Wengui was named as the dissident wanted by people familiar with the investigation.
When Pras Michel contributed to the Wolf of Wall Street’s $100,000,000 budget, Leonardo DiCaprio unwittingly became involved in the scam.
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Leonardo DiCaprio steps forward to help
According to sources, the actor himself went to the authorities to report and has been cooperative ever since. He had complied with all the demands they made, including returning all donations received by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation from the defendant.
The trials have not yet started and the actor must testify against Pras Michel and the money laundering he is accused of. Being brought back into the case, DiCaprio would have to reopen doors that were previously closed to help the law.
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Source: Radar
