Fugees star Pras Michel is seeking a new trial after claiming his defense attorney used ‘AI’ in his closing arguments about a $100m foreign extortion plot, in the latest twist of a bizarre tale for the Grammy-winning rapper.
He was found guilty of being the lynchpin lobbyist for China in a bewildering plot whose cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Michel, who netted $88 million through the scheme, was found guilty in April of ten counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign government agent, and is facing 20 years in prison.
The rapper was the unlikely agent of flamboyant Malaysian businessman and fugitive Low Taek Jho, who paid the rapper to wield influence from the corridors of Washington D.C. to the mansions of Hollywood.
But the former Fugees star has since filed a scathing motion for a new trial, blasting his lawyer David Kenner as unprepared and unscrupulous.
Fugees star Pras Michel (left) is seeking a new trial after claiming his lawyer David Kenner (right) used ‘ AI ‘ in his closing arguments
He was found guilty of being the lynchpin lobbyist for China in a bewildering plot whose cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio , Barack Obama and Donald Trump
The filing accuses the attorney – who has previously represented Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight – of using an ‘experimental’ AI to help him draft his closing argument in the trial.
A new defense team for Michel also claimed that Kenner had ‘a financial interest in the AI program’, called EyeLevel, and was quoted in a press release for the program.
He said of the tech: ‘This is an absolute game changer for complex litigation. The system turned hours or days of legal work into seconds. This is a look into the future of how cases will be conducted.’
Kenner did not immediately respond to a request for comment by DailyMail.com.
Former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg wrote in a declaration accompanying the motion: ‘Michel’s prior publicist also informed members of the current defense team that Kenner proudly stated at the end of the trial words to the effect of ‘AI wrote our closing,’
Michel is hoping for a new trial, with his new team blaming Kenner’s allegedly poor representation, claiming he ‘never stood a chance’ against the allegations against him.
The suit, filed in Washington, also claims Kenner was unfamiliar with crucial elements of the law – with a member of his team flying in to provide extra help after being asked to ‘explain the money laundering statute to him’.
New lawyers for the rapper claim they were unable to get discovery materials after Kenner advised them to contact the vendor directly.
They stated they were unable to help ‘because its bills for work performed at Mr. Kenner’s request remain unpaid.’
Jho Low is accused of carrying out one of the largest financial scams in history
Pras Michel faces decades in prison after being found guilty of his alleged part in the scheme in April
Kenner has previously been accused of violating a court-imposed protective order by sharing discovery materials with Bloomberg – with the outlet publishing a photo emblazoned with a ‘a grand jury exhibit sticker that matches the copy provided to the defense in discovery.’
Prosecutors argued that Kenner was trying to bias the jury pool by selectively leaking advantageous information.
They argued that he had been ‘reminded’ about the protective order ‘sixteen times’.
Michel was found guilty following a three-week trial featuring a diverse set of witnesses ranging from Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Jurors took less than three days to convict Michel on all 10 felony charges he faced, with prosecutors claiming he pocketed $88million.
The rapper illegally funneled cash into political causes including Obama’s 2012 election campaign and also tried to persuade top-raking officials in the Trump administration to drop a federal probe into Low and deport a billionaire Chinese dissident.
He was paid with money Low allegedly embezzled from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Jho Low was the moneyman behind the international scheme – and he allegedly made this fortune as the mastermind of the largest embezzlement plot ever.
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio testified for the prosecution in federal court on April 3
Michel, according to prosecutors, became a vessel for Low’s stolen millions and his attempts to influence the government of the United States
The Malaysian businessman, 41, allegedly spearheaded the 1MDB scandal, which siphoned $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
He’s now wanted by the US government and believed to be hiding in China.
Before Interpol issued a red notice for Low’s arrest in 2016, he enjoyed a reputation as a flamboyant party boy whose lavish events included a host of A listers.
His other connections include Kim Kardashian, who was paid $50,000 to attend one of his birthday parties and once received a trash bag filled with $250,000 from Low after a card game.
Low studied at Wharton – University of Pennsylvania’s famed business school. For his 20th birthday, he rented out a club for $40,000 in Philadelphia to party with his friends.
Low part-funded the 2013 movie The Wolf of Wall Street, which was directed by Martin Scorsese and pulled in more than $400 million at the box office.
DiCaprio, who is not suspected of any wrongdoing, told jurors he met Low in 2010 and attended ‘a multitude of lavish parties’ thrown by the financier.
Low’s parties, held at high-end nightclubs and aboard luxury yachts, were attended by A listers from Alicia Keys and Paris Hilton to Britney Spears.
According to prosecutors, after college he became a mastermind in offshore financing – would get Malaysian banks to lend him billions of dollars and learned how to set up shell companies.
Former Attorney General Jess Sessions, who was part of Trump’s administration, testified at Michel’s trial about efforts to have Guo Wengui deported to China
Gigi Hadid and Jho Low at a ball in 2014 before he became a fugitive wanted by US authorities
Michel funneled cash from Jho Low into Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and also lobbied senior officials in the Trump administration for the deportation of Guo Wengui
Low was pictured with Hilton on several occasions and also counted Britney Spears and Alicia Keys as acquaintances
He was friends with the Malaysian prime minister – and helped him fund his government by setting up a state-owned sovereign wealth fund – which was named 1MDB.
1MDB stands for 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and was created to promote development in the country.
He would siphon hundreds of millions of dollars to himself and started partying with the elite and famous – including DiCaprio and Paris Hilton.
Michel allegedly took large sums of dirty money from Low then donated the cash through straw donors to Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.
Michel was also charged over attempts to convince the Trump administration to drop an investigation into Low. He also tried to convince senior department officials to have billionaire Chinese dissident Guo Wengui deported to China.
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave testimony at Michel’s trial about the lobbying efforts linked to Guo.
Guo is a friend of Steve Bannon, Trump’s one-time chief strategist. Guo was arrested in New York City last month over allegations he masterminded a $1 billion fraud then splashed the cash on a yacht, mansion and other outrageous luxuries.
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