Fugees artist Pras Michél is formally dealing with an extended stretch behind bars after a federal choose handed him a 14-year jail sentence linked to conspiracy and unlawful international lobbying fees. The choice got here down Thursday in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, the place the choose additionally tacked on three years of probation to observe his jail time period. This information arrives simply weeks after Pras was ordered to forfeit a staggering $64 million, tied to what prosecutors described as an intensive worldwide scheme.

His authorized troubles stem from an inventory of allegations which were constructing for years. Back in April 2023, Pras was convicted on ten separate counts, together with accusations that he interfered with marketing campaign finance legal guidelines throughout Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential run. Prosecutors additionally claimed he tried to affect the Trump administration in 2017, portray an image of a posh community of international connections and political maneuvering that in the end unraveled in courtroom.

For Pras, the sentence marks an consequence his group hoped they may by some means keep away from. He beforehand instructed TMZ hip hop that he and his authorized camp have been holding out hope for a lifeline, saying they have been primarily “crossing their fingers for a pardon from Trump himself.” Instead, the courtroom delivered what many are calling a harsh however anticipated verdict, given the dimensions of the accusations and the monetary penalties already assigned.

Now, Pras is making ready for the following chapter of this already dramatic authorized saga. He’s been ordered to give up on January 27, formally starting the prolonged sentence that follows one of the crucial high-profile federal instances involving a hip hop determine in latest reminiscence. At this level, the main target shifts to how he plans to navigate the years forward and what this implies for his legacy as a member of considered one of hip hop’s most celebrated teams.