From ephemeral lawyer to screen in Stop me if you can to key witness subpoenaed in real life. Leonardo DiCaprio testified Monday in Washington in the trial of a former member of the Fugeestelling how they met at the “lavish parties” organized by a Malaysian financier, who is at the heart of one of the largest corruption scandals in the world, the affair 1MBD. Release make the point.
What trial are we talking about?
Of Haitian origin, the musician Pras, whose real name is Prakazrel Samuel Michel, has been on trial for a week in the capital of the United States for his role in an illegal influence campaign carried out in the United States by the man of Malaysian businessman, Low Taek Jho, says Jho Low. The musician member of the mythical trio of the 90s is under the blow of twelve counts related to illegal contributions to the campaign of re-election of president Barack Obama in 2012. He would also have taken part in an illicit lobbying near the administration of his successor, Donald Trump. The former musician who pleaded not guilty faces a sentence of up to 22 years in prison.
According to US authorities, the former member of the Fugees received more than 100 million dollars (more than 90 million euros) from Jho Low, for «influencer» American life. According to the indictment, Pras funneled some of that money to the Obama campaign in 2012, concealing the source of the funds through nominees and off-shore companies. In the United States, campaign finance laws prohibit any donation from abroad. “Michel and Low’s goal was to gain access, and potentially influence, with the candidate and his government”, underlines the indictment. According to the court file, Pras Michel subsequently undertook to plead Low’s case with the administration so that she “drop the investigation into [son] role […] in the embezzlement of billions of dollars from 1MDB”.
What is Leonardo DiCaprio doing in all this?
Accused of nothing but considered a “key witness”, the 48-year-old actor was heard on his links with the billionaire. He shared how he met Low in 2010, at a birthday party in Las Vegas. The actor considered him then as “a financial prodigy”. The Titanic actor was also invited “on boats, in nightclubs”with other celebrities including sometimes Pras Michel.
There was this time when for a New Year party, the Malaysian had chartered a plane to take them to Australia and return to the United States, in order to celebrate the twelve strokes of midnight twice. Low also presented the actor with gifts, which he has since returned, including a painting by Picasso worth $3.2 million and a collage by Jean-Michel Basquiat worth $9.2 millions of dollars. The Malaysian has also been a regular contributor to DiCaprio’s environmental protection foundation.
“I mentioned the Wolf of Wall Street and discussions began with my representatives so that [Low] finance the film, recognized the actor at the helm. The Martin Scorsese-directed film earned DiCaprio his first (and so far only) Oscar. Proof that he was still a little suspicious, the star’s lawyers, a private detective and the other studios involved in the project had investigated the billionaire before accepting his money. Finding nothing suspicious, they gave the green light.
The actor explained above all that he was aware of the links that the Malaysian billionaire wanted to forge with the American intelligentsia, via donations to the Democratic Party, of which DiCaprio is a long-time supporter. Low referred to “20 to 30 million dollars. I said wow, that’s a lot of money. A press article in 2015 evokes the involvement of Jho Low in the embezzlement of billions of dollars from the sovereign fund 1MDB supposed to contribute to the development of this Asian country of 30 million inhabitants. Alerted, the actor cuts ties.
According to several American media, Di Caprio could be followed by other stars in court: Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Mark Wahlberg, and Martin Scorsese could be called to the bar. The same goes for Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani and the controversial adviser to the former Republican president, Steve Bannon.
What is Jho Low’s current situation?
The case 1MDB sparked money laundering investigations around the world, including Switzerland and Singapore. The one who is considered the mastermind of the operation is currently on the run, probably a refugee in China. He was indicted in 2018 for bribery and money laundering. The scandal caused a political crisis in Malaysia, leading former Prime Minister Najib Razak to resign. Sentenced in 2020, the latter is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence.