The internet, especially social media, has gotten it all wrong with Pras, and his team is working steadfastly to counter the assertion that the former Fugee acted as an informant for the federal government.
“Pras was never an FBI informant. It’s not accurate and, quite frankly, it’s dangerous,” his publicist Erica Dumas told AllHipHop exclusively. “If he was an informant, he would not be on trial. The government does not prosecute and threaten its informants with more than two decades of jail time.”
The multi-platinum-selling artist became an unlikely source of scorn when his in-court testimony mischaracterized his relationship with the Feds. High-profile celebrities like 50 Cent and Kyrie Irving erroneously characterized Pras as a “snitch” or a “rat.”
The 50-year-old entertainer was found guilty on 10 criminal counts in a Washington D.C. courtroom on Wednesday (April 26). Pras was accused of helping Malaysian businessman Jho Low gain political influence in the U.S. in exchange for $100 million. Moreover, a court document explained what Pras allegedly and actually did in an effort to help the US to extradite Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.
He maintained his innocence tenaciously and even took the stand in his own defense, an unusual legal maneuver.
In-court testimony, during his defense, Pras said the following: “I took it upon myself to report because I thought the FBI should know.” This statement was maligned through social media and other forms of media, but he volunteered information to the Feds.
Media outlets such as Rolling Stone, CNN, Bloomberg, and Vibe have adjusted headlines and stories to reflect that Pras was not an informant for the FBI. In a written follow-up statement, Dumas said, “Michel also told the jury he was simply a connector, helping Low find counsel for civil charges brought by the US government and letting government officials, including FBI agents, know that China wanted Guo extradited.”
Pras’s lawyer David Kenner, of the Kenner Law Firm, Encino, expressed how disenchanted he was with the guilty verdict. He also conveyed some optimism as the case moves into the potential appeal and sentencing phase.
“We are, of course, very disappointed, but I am very confident in the ultimate outcome of this case. Her honor gave us a briefing schedule that will allow us to brief a number of motions that I made during the course of this trial,” Kenner said in a statement. “That briefing schedule extends out into July. Her honor pointed out today that after those decisions are made, based on the briefs, she will determine whether it is still necessary to move to a sentencing hearing. If we do move to a sentencing hearing, I remain very confident that we will, with certainty, appeal this case. This is not over. I remain very, very confident that we will ultimately prevail in this matter.”
Kenner said also stated that he filed for a mistrial and that evidence is still being considered.
Below is the complete statement from his team submitted to AllHipHop that outlines and details why Pras Michel is not an informant.
To be clear, an informant cuts a deal with the government, so why would he be on trial if he were an informant.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and the reckless suggestion that he was an informant carries life-threatening implications in Hip-Hop circles.
During a portion of Pras’ nearly two days of testimony last week, Pras described from the stand a decision he made a handful of years ago to approach the FBI in regard to a narrow issue related to his wider case.
In law enforcement parlance, an “informant” is someone who works directly with an investigating law enforcement agency either to cut a deal for him or herself, or with the direct interests of that law enforcement agency as part of their own agenda.
This was not the case with Pras, as the entirety of the court transcripts of his testimony clearly indicate.
Many media outlets that covered the testimony correctly reported that his approach to the FBI, to discuss Guo Wengui and three Americans held in China, was completely voluntary, and his posture was not that of an informant.
Click here for more information on the Pras Michel case.
