Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Undergoes Emergency Colon Cancer Surgery, Sentencing Delayed
Written by b87fm on 09/03/2025
Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was set to be sentenced last month in his high-profile federal conspiracy case—but the hearing was pushed back after he underwent emergency surgery for colon cancer.
A rep for his legal team, Erica Dumas, confirmed the news in a statement:
“Pras was unable to attend his scheduled sentencing hearing on Friday due to emergency medical surgery to remove cancer from his colon. We wish him a complete and speedy recovery as he navigates both his legal matters and his health journey.”
The cancer diagnosis had not been made public prior to this announcement.
Michel’s sentencing has been rescheduled for October 3, just days before his 53rd birthday. He faces up to 20 years in prison after being convicted in 2023 on all 10 counts tied to an international conspiracy case involving millions in foreign funds.
The rapper was first indicted in 2019 for allegedly funneling $865,000 into Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign. He was later accused of helping run a backchannel effort to pressure the Trump administration into dropping its investigation into Malaysian financier Jho Low.
Adding another twist, Michel’s legal team has claimed his original attorney was “incompetent”—arguing that he even relied on artificial intelligence to help write closing arguments.
Pras Michel, former member of the Fugees, center, and his lawyer David Kenner arrive to federal court in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, April 3, 2023. A prosecutor told jurors last week that Michel was driven by greed and “profited exorbitantly” as he sought to lobby the US government illegally on behalf of a financier accused of orchestrating the looting of billions of dollars from Malaysian development fund 1MDB. Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Despite the legal storm, reports earlier this year suggested Donald Trump considered granting Michel a pardon, though the White House never confirmed it.
For now, Pras remains free on bond as he prepares for both his appeal and recovery from surgery.
