Leonardo DiCaprio testified in the federal trial of The Fugees’ Pras Michel, bringing an unexpected twist to the heated case.
Michel, a member of the 1990s hip-hop trio along with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, is on trial for money laundering and bribery after allegedly taking bribes from a Malaysian businessman to influence American lawmakers.
Leonardo DiCaprio Testifies
Although rejecting all accusations, the 50-year-old musician, Pras Michel, reportedly took £100 million from billionaire Jho Low, who is suspected of masterminding a global money laundering and bribery conspiracy that stole billions from the Malaysian state investment fund 1MDB.
In connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, fugitive Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low), is sought by authorities throughout the world. Prosecutors say he devised the conspiracy to divert US$4.5 billion from 1MDB into his own accounts, and he has been labeled the “mastermind” of the colossal scam.
The US government claims that he received money from the Malaysian 1MDB fund via a series of discretionary trusts. Low claims he is innocent and that the Malaysian government is harassing and persecuting him because of his support for former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was convicted on seven charges of abuse of authority, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust in connection with the 1MDB affair.
Leonardo DiCaprio, a longtime friend of Jho Low, recently testified as a witness in this high-profile case. The 48-year-old actor is not, however, accused of any crime.
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The Wolf of Wall Street, the 2013 film for which Leonardo DiCaprio won an Academy Award, was mostly financed by Low. As a result, DiCaprio’s relationship with Low can be traced back to that film.
During his testimony on Monday, Leonardo DiCaprio said that he met Low for the first time in 2010 at a lavish birthday celebration in Las Vegas attended by a lot of prominent persons.
DiCaprio, recalling his initial contact with Low, portrayed him as an influential businessman with vast ties in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia. He also claimed meeting Michel in the 1990s at a Fugees backstage party.
Low was well-known for his lavish parties and vacations, which often featured famous visitors and private jet trips to events such as the World Cup in Brazil. DiCaprio was among those who were flown around by Low.
During his testimony, Leonardo DiCaprio recalled being whisked away to Australia on New Year’s Eve and then flown to Las Vegas to celebrate the countdown twice in one day. Michel may have joined him on some of these journeys.
What did Leo say?
The bond between DiCaprio and Low grew into an unbreakable friendship, with Low offering his support to the actor’s foundation and ultimately funding The Wolf of Wall Street.
DiCaprio vouched for Low’s trustworthiness, adding that his team and studio recognized him as a legitimate investor in the film after doing extensive due diligence.
‘I was given the green light by my team as well as my studio. He was a legitimate business person wanting to invest in the movie.’
Leonardo DiCaprio
While testifying, the Revenant luminary recounted a laid-back chat he had with Low, who divulged his plan to make a hefty donation to Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012, to the tune of $20-30 million. DiCaprio expressed surprise at the sizable sum.
‘It was a significant sum — something to the tune of $20-30m. I said, “Wow that’s a lot of money!”’
Leonardo DiCaprio
Other Allegations and The Testimony
Authorities say Mr. Low wanted Mr. Michel to push former President Donald Trump’s government to drop the 1MDB inquiry.
Mr. Michel is also accused of receiving the money to persuade US authorities to extradite outspoken American dissident Guo Wengui to China.
He is charged with failing to register as a foreign agent, a US violation.
Mr. Michel is also accused of utilizing a foreign-funded third-party network to make illegal donations to Mr. Obama’s 2012 US presidential campaign.
Leonardo DiCaprio testified with composure but sometimes struggled to recollect the precise dates and times of his contacts with Low.
Many witnesses testified on Monday about Michel’s request for covert money to the Obama campaign.
Richard Kromica, an investment banker, stated that Michel had requested him and his spouse to make contributions on his behalf since he had supposedly hit the legal contribution limit. Michel then reportedly donated $80,000 to the pair.
According to another witness, Michel gave him $32,000 to make a shadow donation, but he rejected it, explaining, “Sending me money without a loan with the expectation that I would contribute it to a political campaign? It seems suspect to me “Jack Brewer, a former NFL player, said.
