Prakazrel “Pras” Michel — a founding member of the enduring Nineteen Nineties hip-hop group, The Fugees —- is accused of funneling cash from a fugitive Malaysian financer by means of straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection marketing campaign. 5 years later, prosecutors say he tried to squelch an investigation into that very same financer below former President Donald Trump’s administration.

On the coronary heart of the case is Low Taek Jho, often often called Jho Low. He’s accused of masterminding a global cash laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from the Malaysian state funding fund often called 1MDB.

DiCaprio’s reference to the case comes from his years-long relationship with Low, who was one of many major financers of the film “The Wolf of Wall Avenue.” Low is presently a fugitive however has maintained his innocence.

In keeping with the costs, Michel primarily turned a conduit for Low’s pilfered hundreds of thousands and his makes an attempt to affect the U.S. authorities. Prosecutors allege that from June to November 2012, Low directed greater than $21.6 million to be moved from international entities to Michel’s accounts as a way to funnel cash into the 2012 presidential election. They are saying Michel then paid about 20 straw donors and conduits so they might make the donations of their names and conceal the place the cash truly got here from, in response to the indictment.

DiCaprio testified that he met and befriended Low at a celebration in Las Vegas in 2010. “I understood him to be an enormous businessman with many various connections in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia,” he stated.

The 48-year-old Oscar winner answered questions on the witness stand calmly — often deferring to a fuzzy reminiscence on some particulars and dates. Along with his relationship with Low, DiCaprio stated he had recognized the defendant Michel since someday within the Nineteen Nineties after they met backstage after a Fugees live performance.

Low was recognized for internet hosting lavish star-studded events and group holidays on his non-public jet to occasions just like the World Cup in Brazil. DiCaprio recounted one explicit junket that concerned flying to Australia to rejoice New Yr’s Eve, then flying to Las Vegas to rejoice a second time in at some point. Michel was current on a few of these journeys, DiCaprio stated.

Low turned a daily contributor to DiCaprio’s charitable basis, and ultimately Low floated the thought of offering the first financing for “The Wolf of Wall Avenue.”

DiCaprio stated he had Low’s funding and legitimacy rigorously vetted earlier than getting into right into a enterprise relationship.

“I used to be given the inexperienced gentle by my group in addition to my studio,” he stated. “He was a professional enterprise particular person desirous to put money into the film.”

DiCaprio additionally recalled a “informal dialog” with Low by which Low informed him he supposed to make a big contribution to Obama’s reelection marketing campaign.

“It was a big sum — one thing to the tune of $20-30 million,” he testified. “I stated, ‘Wow that’s some huge cash!’”