David Kenner, a lawyer who unsuccessfully defended convicted Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, pleaded guilty on Friday to misdemeanor criminal contempt and was sentenced to one year of probation after admitting he leaked confidential material to reporters in 2023.
Federal prosecutors said Kenner was representing Michel in the federal conspiracy case over the rapper’s role in a multimillion-dollar government influence campaign that involved both the Obama and Trump administrations. After Kenner had been provided discovery materials in order to prepare for Michel’s defense, as is typical in criminal cases,...
Federal prosecutors said Kenner was representing Michel in the federal conspiracy case over the rapper’s role in a multimillion-dollar government influence campaign that involved both the Obama and Trump administrations. After Kenner had been provided discovery materials in order to prepare for Michel’s defense, as is typical in criminal cases,...
- 1/27/2024
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Check Out The Salaries Of The Cast Members Of Marvel’s Echo ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
The thrilling story of Marvel Studios’ new miniseries Echo will enthrall viewers on Disney+ and Hulu starting on January 9, 2024. One of the rare comic book heroines from Marvel who is disabled is about to leave her imprint on television.
After making her TV series debut in Hawkeye (2021), David Mack and Joe Quesada’s character Echo (Maya Lopez) will feature in her upcoming spin-off series, Echo (2024).
In the Disney+ series, Alaqua Cox will portray the first deaf Native American character in Marvel’s mythology. Marion Dayre tells the story of Maya Lopez, better known as Echo, in her brand-new television miniseries about her birth.
Trending Man On The Run Movie Review: Unraveling Intricacies Of Leonardo Dicaprio, 1Mdb, Jho Low, The Wolf Of Wall Street & Malaysian Scandal Pete Davidson Drops Truth Bomb About His Drug Abuse, Reveals...
The thrilling story of Marvel Studios’ new miniseries Echo will enthrall viewers on Disney+ and Hulu starting on January 9, 2024. One of the rare comic book heroines from Marvel who is disabled is about to leave her imprint on television.
After making her TV series debut in Hawkeye (2021), David Mack and Joe Quesada’s character Echo (Maya Lopez) will feature in her upcoming spin-off series, Echo (2024).
In the Disney+ series, Alaqua Cox will portray the first deaf Native American character in Marvel’s mythology. Marion Dayre tells the story of Maya Lopez, better known as Echo, in her brand-new television miniseries about her birth.
Trending Man On The Run Movie Review: Unraveling Intricacies Of Leonardo Dicaprio, 1Mdb, Jho Low, The Wolf Of Wall Street & Malaysian Scandal Pete Davidson Drops Truth Bomb About His Drug Abuse, Reveals...
- 1/10/2024
- by Soumick Mukherjee
- KoiMoi
Man on the Run Movie Review Rating:
Star Cast: Michael Bill McMurray, Xavier Justo, Bradley Hope, Clare Rewcastle Brown, Ho Kay Tat
Director: Cassius Michael Kim
Man on the Run ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The documentary navigates the scandal’s complexities adeptly, offering a gripping narrative that delves into A-list celebrities, staggering fortunes, and high-level corruption. The relentless efforts of journalists shine as a commendable highlight, showcasing the positive impact of media in uncovering the truth.
What’s Bad: Despite its riveting aspects, “Man on the Run” falters in narrative direction. It starts with exploring the ultra-wealthy but transitions into a formulaic true crime documentary. The attempt to weave together themes of significant wealth and corrupt politics results in a somewhat disjointed composition.
Loo Break: Be prepared for a shift in pace during the documentary’s midsection as it delves deeply into financial intricacies. While essential to the story,...
Star Cast: Michael Bill McMurray, Xavier Justo, Bradley Hope, Clare Rewcastle Brown, Ho Kay Tat
Director: Cassius Michael Kim
Man on the Run ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The documentary navigates the scandal’s complexities adeptly, offering a gripping narrative that delves into A-list celebrities, staggering fortunes, and high-level corruption. The relentless efforts of journalists shine as a commendable highlight, showcasing the positive impact of media in uncovering the truth.
What’s Bad: Despite its riveting aspects, “Man on the Run” falters in narrative direction. It starts with exploring the ultra-wealthy but transitions into a formulaic true crime documentary. The attempt to weave together themes of significant wealth and corrupt politics results in a somewhat disjointed composition.
Loo Break: Be prepared for a shift in pace during the documentary’s midsection as it delves deeply into financial intricacies. While essential to the story,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Hari P N
- KoiMoi
Lawyers for Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Najib Razak are trying to get Netflix documentary Man On The Run taken off the platform due to what they describe as “sub judicial and contemptuous” content.
The disgraced Razak is currently half-way through a 12-year prison sentence for his involvement in Malaysia’s 1Mdb scandal, one of the largest money-laundering and embezzlement cases in history.
Razak’s lawyers have complained to the High Court this week that the documentary is prejudicial towards ongoing corruption trials against the former leader.
According to prosecutors, Razak worked closely with Chinese intermediary and playboy Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, to illegally extract hundreds of millions of dollars from the public-facing sovereign wealth fund. Jho Low was known in Hollywood for his lavish lifestyle, celebrity parties and helped set up Razak’s stepson Riza at Red Granite Pictures, one of the producers of The Wolf Of Wall Street.
The disgraced Razak is currently half-way through a 12-year prison sentence for his involvement in Malaysia’s 1Mdb scandal, one of the largest money-laundering and embezzlement cases in history.
Razak’s lawyers have complained to the High Court this week that the documentary is prejudicial towards ongoing corruption trials against the former leader.
According to prosecutors, Razak worked closely with Chinese intermediary and playboy Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, to illegally extract hundreds of millions of dollars from the public-facing sovereign wealth fund. Jho Low was known in Hollywood for his lavish lifestyle, celebrity parties and helped set up Razak’s stepson Riza at Red Granite Pictures, one of the producers of The Wolf Of Wall Street.
- 1/9/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Netflix has picked up worldwide rights to true-crime feature documentary, Man On The Run, about the 1Mdb scandal and one of the fund’s alleged masterminds, international fugitive Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
The film charts the story of the enigmatic businessman and playboy. Working with former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Low orchestrated a scheme to exploit 1Mdb, a sovereign wealth fund established in 2009 initially with the purpose of benefiting the people of Malaysia.
However, in 2015 the journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown received leaked financial documents, setting off a global investigation that uncovered that vast sums of money were being funneled into international bank accounts to help fuel Low’s extravagant lifestyle. This included the acquisition of lavish properties, a private jet, a super-yacht, opulent parties with A-list celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, allegedly paying stars huge sums for appearances, and dating supermodels.
Dubbed the “Asian Great Gatsby,...
The film charts the story of the enigmatic businessman and playboy. Working with former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Low orchestrated a scheme to exploit 1Mdb, a sovereign wealth fund established in 2009 initially with the purpose of benefiting the people of Malaysia.
However, in 2015 the journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown received leaked financial documents, setting off a global investigation that uncovered that vast sums of money were being funneled into international bank accounts to help fuel Low’s extravagant lifestyle. This included the acquisition of lavish properties, a private jet, a super-yacht, opulent parties with A-list celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, allegedly paying stars huge sums for appearances, and dating supermodels.
Dubbed the “Asian Great Gatsby,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
On April 20, attorney David Kenner delivered closing statements for Prakazrel “Pras” Michel in a closely watched fraud trial involving allegations that the Fugees founding member directed a sprawling conspiracy in which he funneled money from a Malaysian financier to a network of straw donors to make illegal campaign contributions to Barack Obama in 2012. But to the surprise of Michel’s new lawyers, who were retained after the artist was found guilty, Kenner’s first remarks to the jury appeared to be an admission of guilt.
“Ladies and gentleman, this case started back in 2012 when there was, as the government characterizes it, an effort to funnel money to President Obama’s reelection campaign,” Kenner said.
It turned out that Kenner used generative artificial intelligence to help craft his closing remarks, according to a court filing. Michel, who was convicted on charges of conspiring to make straw campaign donations and acting as an unregistered agent for China,...
“Ladies and gentleman, this case started back in 2012 when there was, as the government characterizes it, an effort to funnel money to President Obama’s reelection campaign,” Kenner said.
It turned out that Kenner used generative artificial intelligence to help craft his closing remarks, according to a court filing. Michel, who was convicted on charges of conspiring to make straw campaign donations and acting as an unregistered agent for China,...
- 10/17/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fugees’ Pras Michel is seeking a new trial in his federal conspiracy case, claiming that his former attorney is responsible for “ineffective representation,” which included using an AI program to write his closing argument.
The motion for a new trial was filed by Michel’s new legal team on Monday, October 16th. Among the allegations put forth by the motion against Michel’s previous lawyer, David Kenner, is a claim that Kenner “used an experimental artificial intelligence (AI) program to draft the closing argument, ignoring the best arguments and conflating the charged schemes, and he then publicly boasted that the AI program ‘turned hours or days of legal work into seconds’” (per Rolling Stone).
Further, the motion alleges that Kenner had “an undisclosed financial stake” in the AI program, and the usage of the program for Michel’s trial was done “so they could issue a press release afterward promoting...
The motion for a new trial was filed by Michel’s new legal team on Monday, October 16th. Among the allegations put forth by the motion against Michel’s previous lawyer, David Kenner, is a claim that Kenner “used an experimental artificial intelligence (AI) program to draft the closing argument, ignoring the best arguments and conflating the charged schemes, and he then publicly boasted that the AI program ‘turned hours or days of legal work into seconds’” (per Rolling Stone).
Further, the motion alleges that Kenner had “an undisclosed financial stake” in the AI program, and the usage of the program for Michel’s trial was done “so they could issue a press release afterward promoting...
- 10/17/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
The Fugees’ Pras Michel is arguing he deserves a new trial in his federal conspiracy case in part because his original attorney provided “ineffective representation,” even allegedly using an AI program to draft his closing argument.
Back in April, Michel was convicted on 10 counts of conspiracy and falsifying records for his role in a multimillion-dollar government influence campaign that involved both the Obama and Trump administrations. The charges against him included money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations.
Michel has repeatedly denied the charges against him, and on Monday,...
Back in April, Michel was convicted on 10 counts of conspiracy and falsifying records for his role in a multimillion-dollar government influence campaign that involved both the Obama and Trump administrations. The charges against him included money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations.
Michel has repeatedly denied the charges against him, and on Monday,...
- 10/17/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill turns 25 this year — and Ms. Lauryn Hill is reuniting with Fugees on the road to celebrate.
On Tuesday, the rap legend announced that she’ll embark on a U.S. arena tour to celebrate her solo magnum opus and will be joined by Pras and Wyclef Jean for a reunion of Fugees after a brief performance at Roots Picnic in June.
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is and was a love song to my parents, my family, my people, my musical and cultural forebears, my teachers,...
On Tuesday, the rap legend announced that she’ll embark on a U.S. arena tour to celebrate her solo magnum opus and will be joined by Pras and Wyclef Jean for a reunion of Fugees after a brief performance at Roots Picnic in June.
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is and was a love song to my parents, my family, my people, my musical and cultural forebears, my teachers,...
- 10/2/2023
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
Ready or not, the Fugees are making their performances a regular occurrence. Having only sporadically reunited on stage since 1996, the group recently announced they would play a handful of concerts as part of Lauryn Hill’s 25th anniversary tour of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The rap legend announced that she will embark on a U.S. arena tour to celebrate her solo magnum opus and will be joined by Pras and Wyclef Jean for a reunion of Fugees.
This weekend’s Global Citizen Festival was not one of their scheduled performances,...
This weekend’s Global Citizen Festival was not one of their scheduled performances,...
- 9/25/2023
- by Carita Rizzo
- Rollingstone.com
Stop Making Sense, the remastered concert film that sowed delight at TIFF, opens on 300 Imax screens in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland. Locations Stateside number 260 ahead of a nationwide release next week.
The 1984 Talking Heads extravaganza from Jonathan Demme is presented in its new iteration by A24 — meaning the decades-old movie can now extend its reach to a new, younger audience that is A24’s core fan base. Opening numbers are hard to gauge since there aren’t many comps but there are parties, discos, stars and sellouts with film looking at about $1.5 million, including Thursday previews.
A 40th anniversary large-format special premiere screening at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month had people dancing in the aisles and broke Imax records. It was the company’s highest grossing live event, earning $640.8k and selling out 25 screens across 165 Imax locations in North America and the BFI Imax in London.
The 1984 Talking Heads extravaganza from Jonathan Demme is presented in its new iteration by A24 — meaning the decades-old movie can now extend its reach to a new, younger audience that is A24’s core fan base. Opening numbers are hard to gauge since there aren’t many comps but there are parties, discos, stars and sellouts with film looking at about $1.5 million, including Thursday previews.
A 40th anniversary large-format special premiere screening at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month had people dancing in the aisles and broke Imax records. It was the company’s highest grossing live event, earning $640.8k and selling out 25 screens across 165 Imax locations in North America and the BFI Imax in London.
- 9/22/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Billions of dollars went missing from the notorious 1Mdb fund – and now its claimed mastermind cannot be found. A new documentary tries to untangle the knots of the case
Writer-director Cassius Michael Kim’s investigative documentary lays out the stark corruption, shameless grift and tainted glamour that swirled around the recent 1Mdb scandal. If you don’t know anything about it, this film offers an exemplary walkthrough of the facts, but in a nutshell, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb) was a sovereign wealth fund set up by former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak in order to finance investment in his country, alleviating its widespread poverty. But in what has come to be described by the FBI as the “largest kleptocracy case to date”, Najib and his associate, Malaysian-Chinese businessman Jho Low, are accused of embezzling millions of dollars into their own pockets. (Najib has been convicted and jailed; Jho Low denies...
Writer-director Cassius Michael Kim’s investigative documentary lays out the stark corruption, shameless grift and tainted glamour that swirled around the recent 1Mdb scandal. If you don’t know anything about it, this film offers an exemplary walkthrough of the facts, but in a nutshell, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb) was a sovereign wealth fund set up by former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak in order to finance investment in his country, alleviating its widespread poverty. But in what has come to be described by the FBI as the “largest kleptocracy case to date”, Najib and his associate, Malaysian-Chinese businessman Jho Low, are accused of embezzling millions of dollars into their own pockets. (Najib has been convicted and jailed; Jho Low denies...
- 9/5/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
"Where do you think Jho Low is?" "I have no idea." The Smoking Section / Evergreen Media has debuted an official trailer for a thrilling true crime documentary film called Man on the Run, directed by filmmaker Cassius Michael Kim. The film is the definitive accounting of the 1Mdb (1Malaysia Development Berhad - not to be confused with IMDb) saga, plus an indictment of the global capitalist system and its inability to regulate itself in the face of avarice & corruption. Director Cassius Michael Kim's meticulous investigation unravels a web of greed and corruption, revealing the profound impact of this colossal financial scandal and the implications. It's all focused on one man: Low Taek Jho from Malaysia. He ran off with billions, and was involved in helping finance Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street (of course he was), dubbed "the Asian Great Gatsby." The disgraced financier has already been the subject of other movies,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It’s been seven years since the Justice Department filed the largest forfeiture complaint in U.S. history, asserting that billions had been stolen from Malaysia’s 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund and spent in gratuitous fashion around the world — on penthouse apartments in New York, vast mansions in the most exclusive neighborhoods of Los Angeles, private jets, superyachts, A-list parties, Vegas gambling trips, artworks and even forays into Hollywood with the financing of The Wolf of Wall Street.
While efforts have been made to seize the assets acquired with the stolen loot — and there have been seismic anti-corruption trials in Kuala Lumpur — the man accused of being the mastermind of the 1Mdb scandal, the flamboyant Malaysian businessman Jho Low, is still a fugitive. Many believe the individual, considered the most-wanted “white-collared criminal” on the planet, is in China, reportedly under house arrest in Shanghai.
In the new documentary Man on the Run,...
While efforts have been made to seize the assets acquired with the stolen loot — and there have been seismic anti-corruption trials in Kuala Lumpur — the man accused of being the mastermind of the 1Mdb scandal, the flamboyant Malaysian businessman Jho Low, is still a fugitive. Many believe the individual, considered the most-wanted “white-collared criminal” on the planet, is in China, reportedly under house arrest in Shanghai.
In the new documentary Man on the Run,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eighteen months after Fugees abruptly canceled their much-anticipated reunion tour, the trio of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel shared the stage for what could be the last time Saturday at Philadelphia’s Roots Picnic.
During the tail end of Hill’s headlining set at the Roots’ annual party, the singer brought out her surprise guests for a six-song mini-set that featured Fugees classics like “How Many Mics,” “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly” and a concert-ending “Fu-Gee-La.”
Saturday’s surprise Fugees reunion marked the first time the trio...
During the tail end of Hill’s headlining set at the Roots’ annual party, the singer brought out her surprise guests for a six-song mini-set that featured Fugees classics like “How Many Mics,” “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly” and a concert-ending “Fu-Gee-La.”
Saturday’s surprise Fugees reunion marked the first time the trio...
- 6/4/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Rapper Pras Michél, best known as a member of the iconic 90s music group Fugees, was found guilty in federal court of 10 criminal charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
The Grammy winner faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for conspiring to help Malaysian playboy and fugitive Jho Low, whom he met in 2006, and the Chinese government to gain access to U.S. officials, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Michél, 50, was found guilty last month of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., witness tampering and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He is believed to have funneled over $800,000 through a string of donors to Obama’s 2012 campaign, received $100 million from Low to impede an investigation into his money laundering scam, and tried to persuade the U.S. to extradite a Chinese dissident, Guo Wengui, on behalf of the Chinese government.
The Grammy winner faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for conspiring to help Malaysian playboy and fugitive Jho Low, whom he met in 2006, and the Chinese government to gain access to U.S. officials, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Michél, 50, was found guilty last month of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., witness tampering and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He is believed to have funneled over $800,000 through a string of donors to Obama’s 2012 campaign, received $100 million from Low to impede an investigation into his money laundering scam, and tried to persuade the U.S. to extradite a Chinese dissident, Guo Wengui, on behalf of the Chinese government.
- 5/24/2023
- by Nicky Kashani
- Uinterview
The Fugees’ Pras Michel was convicted on federal charges of conspiracy and falsifying records for his role in a multimillion-dollar government influence campaign that involved both the Obama and Trump administrations.
Michel was convicted of all 10 counts against him, as The Washington Post reports. Those charges included money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations.
As Rolling Stone outlined in a recent feature, the charges against Michel were tied to his relationship with Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low is accused of stealing $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund,...
Michel was convicted of all 10 counts against him, as The Washington Post reports. Those charges included money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and campaign finance violations.
As Rolling Stone outlined in a recent feature, the charges against Michel were tied to his relationship with Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low is accused of stealing $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Fugees co-founding member Pras Michel has been convicted for his involvement in a brazen billion-dollar Malaysian money laundering scheme. On Wednesday, a jury found Pras guilty of 10 federal counts, including campaign finance violations, money laundering, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, and lying to banks. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
The case involved Low Taek Jho, aka “Jho Low,” a fugitive businessman who has been accused of embezzling $4.5 billion from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad. Michel allegedly worked on Jho’s behalf, intentionally failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and attempting to influence two different presidential administrations — by pouring millions of dollars into Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign through straw donors, and by lobbying Donald Trump’s administration to halt a DOJ investigation into 1Mdb. Michel was allegedly paid tens of millions of dollars for his services.
Michel purportedly rejected a deal...
The case involved Low Taek Jho, aka “Jho Low,” a fugitive businessman who has been accused of embezzling $4.5 billion from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad. Michel allegedly worked on Jho’s behalf, intentionally failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and attempting to influence two different presidential administrations — by pouring millions of dollars into Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign through straw donors, and by lobbying Donald Trump’s administration to halt a DOJ investigation into 1Mdb. Michel was allegedly paid tens of millions of dollars for his services.
Michel purportedly rejected a deal...
- 4/26/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
The Fugees’ Pras Michel discussed his relationship with Malaysian financier Jho Low and said he served as an informal FBI informant regarding China’s efforts to extradite a prominent dissident after making the bold decision to testify at his own federal trial on Tuesday, April 18.
It’s rare for defendants to take the stand at their own trials, but Michel reportedly told the judge he chose to do so “after consulting with my attorneys and the universe” (per Mother Jones reporter Dan Friedman on Twitter).
Michel has pleaded not guilty...
It’s rare for defendants to take the stand at their own trials, but Michel reportedly told the judge he chose to do so “after consulting with my attorneys and the universe” (per Mother Jones reporter Dan Friedman on Twitter).
Michel has pleaded not guilty...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Leonardo DiCaprio made an appearance in court earlier this week as a witness for the criminal trial of ex-Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel.
Michel is accused of being involved in a global campaign-finance conspiracy funded by Jho Low, a businessman who allegedly stole billions of dollars from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund called 1Mdb. Low is accused of giving Michel more than $100 million to allegedly influence then-President Donald Trump and other government officials to drop an investigation into him. Michel has pleaded not guilty.
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DiCaprio testified to the grand jury on his relationship with Low. Prosecutors aimed to demonstrate that Low used stolen money to ingratiate himself with prominent actors, models and politicians.
DiCaprio told the jury about being introduced to Low at the businessman’s birthday party in Las Vegas in 2010. He recounted other “lavish parties” around the world that were hosted by Low.
Michel is accused of being involved in a global campaign-finance conspiracy funded by Jho Low, a businessman who allegedly stole billions of dollars from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund called 1Mdb. Low is accused of giving Michel more than $100 million to allegedly influence then-President Donald Trump and other government officials to drop an investigation into him. Michel has pleaded not guilty.
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DiCaprio testified to the grand jury on his relationship with Low. Prosecutors aimed to demonstrate that Low used stolen money to ingratiate himself with prominent actors, models and politicians.
DiCaprio told the jury about being introduced to Low at the businessman’s birthday party in Las Vegas in 2010. He recounted other “lavish parties” around the world that were hosted by Low.
- 4/8/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
Leonardo DiCaprio took the stand at Washington, D.C.’s federal courthouse on Monday as a witness in the trial of former Fugees member Prakazrel “Pras” Michel.
Pras is accused of allegedly funneling money to Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential reelection campaign through straw donors and working with fugitive Malaysian financer Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low. Five years later, prosecutors say Pras tried to squelch an investigation into Low under former President Donald Trump’s administration. Additionally, Low is being accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1Mdb.
Both Michel and Low are facing charges in the United States, but Low remains at large, so Michel is on trial alone.
CBS News reports that DiCaprio, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, testified to a grand jury on Monday and discussed his relationship with...
Pras is accused of allegedly funneling money to Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential reelection campaign through straw donors and working with fugitive Malaysian financer Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low. Five years later, prosecutors say Pras tried to squelch an investigation into Low under former President Donald Trump’s administration. Additionally, Low is being accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1Mdb.
Both Michel and Low are facing charges in the United States, but Low remains at large, so Michel is on trial alone.
CBS News reports that DiCaprio, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, testified to a grand jury on Monday and discussed his relationship with...
- 4/5/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Leonardo DiCaprio testified in federal court Monday morning as part of a trial involving international money laundering, bribery and a prominent rap artist.
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel — a founding member of 1990s hip-hop group The Fugees — is accused of funneling money from a fugitive Malaysian financier through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Five years later, prosecutors say he tried to squelch an investigation into that same financier under former President Donald Trump’s administration.
At the heart of the case is Low Taek Jho, usually known as Jho Low. He is accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1Mdb.
DiCaprio’s connection with the case comes from his years-long relationship with Low, who was one of the primary financers of the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. Low is currently a fugitive but has maintained his innocence.
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel — a founding member of 1990s hip-hop group The Fugees — is accused of funneling money from a fugitive Malaysian financier through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Five years later, prosecutors say he tried to squelch an investigation into that same financier under former President Donald Trump’s administration.
At the heart of the case is Low Taek Jho, usually known as Jho Low. He is accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1Mdb.
DiCaprio’s connection with the case comes from his years-long relationship with Low, who was one of the primary financers of the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. Low is currently a fugitive but has maintained his innocence.
- 4/3/2023
- by The Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Leonardo DiCaprio took the stand at the federal money laundering trial against Fugees member Pras Michel on Monday. The actor is one of 72 witnesses prosecutors prepped as potential witnesses for the government.
DiCaprio, who is appearing as a witness for the prosecution, testified about the alleged exploits of Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low is accused of stealing $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund, and Michel is among those accused of assisting him, allegedly receiving $8 million (and as much as $40 million) for doing so.
“I understood him to be...
DiCaprio, who is appearing as a witness for the prosecution, testified about the alleged exploits of Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low is accused of stealing $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund, and Michel is among those accused of assisting him, allegedly receiving $8 million (and as much as $40 million) for doing so.
“I understood him to be...
- 4/3/2023
- by Althea Legaspi and Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Grammy Award-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, best known as part of the Nineties hip-hop group the Fugees, pocketed hundreds of millions of embezzled Malaysian dollars in exchange for running a foreign-influence campaign against the U.S. government, Justice Department attorney Nicole Lockhart told jurors Thursday morning.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Michel addressed the legal behemoth he has found himself at the center of — and includes a decade-long investigation that implicates a host of public figures including two of the past three presidential administrations, Leonardo DiCaprio, Goldman Sachs, and casino tycoon Steve Wynn.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Michel addressed the legal behemoth he has found himself at the center of — and includes a decade-long investigation that implicates a host of public figures including two of the past three presidential administrations, Leonardo DiCaprio, Goldman Sachs, and casino tycoon Steve Wynn.
- 3/30/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
New light has been shed on Leonardo DiCaprio’s relationship with a fugitive Malaysian businessman who’s wanted by international authorities in connection with a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme.
Bloomberg Businessweek reviewed previously undisclosed FBI documents detailing its grilling of the actor as the agency sought to understand the nature of his personal and professional partnership with Jho Low, the accused mastermind of a colossal scheme to fleece a sovereign wealth fund known as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, which has led to the conviction of the country’s former prime minister for money laundering and abuse of power. Low was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2021 for pursuing a “back channel lobbying campaign” to drop the government’s 1Mdb investigation. A fugitive for roughly eight years, Low is believed to be residing in China. An Interpol Red Notice was issued for his arrest in 2016.
An FBI special agent,...
Bloomberg Businessweek reviewed previously undisclosed FBI documents detailing its grilling of the actor as the agency sought to understand the nature of his personal and professional partnership with Jho Low, the accused mastermind of a colossal scheme to fleece a sovereign wealth fund known as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, which has led to the conviction of the country’s former prime minister for money laundering and abuse of power. Low was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2021 for pursuing a “back channel lobbying campaign” to drop the government’s 1Mdb investigation. A fugitive for roughly eight years, Low is believed to be residing in China. An Interpol Red Notice was issued for his arrest in 2016.
An FBI special agent,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tory Lanez is hoping Snoop Dogg’s former criminal lawyer can convince a Los Angeles judge he deserves a new trial after a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
The “Luv” singer made his first post-conviction court appearance Tuesday and told the judge he wanted lawyers David Kenner and Matthew Barhoma to replace his outgoing trial attorney George Mgdesyan and Shawn Holley, his original defense lawyer who missed the trial due to a conflict.
Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was wearing an orange...
The “Luv” singer made his first post-conviction court appearance Tuesday and told the judge he wanted lawyers David Kenner and Matthew Barhoma to replace his outgoing trial attorney George Mgdesyan and Shawn Holley, his original defense lawyer who missed the trial due to a conflict.
Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was wearing an orange...
- 1/10/2023
- by Nancy Dillon
- Rollingstone.com
Oscar-nominated producer, Joey McFarland, is being criticized for a recent “Emancipation” red carpet appearance where he carried around the original 1863 photograph that inspired the film- one that captured a man’s scarred back after escaping enslavement.
The man in the photo is known as Peter, who is portrayed by Will Smith in the upcoming action-thriller.
During the Los Angeles film premiere on Wednesday, McFarland told reporters that, due to his “love of history,” he curates and owns a collection of photographs capturing African Americans from the 19th century.
Read More: Will Smith Says He’s Lost Sleep Worrying About Whether Oscars Slap Will Affect ‘Emancipation’ Team’s Success
“They’ve been so poorly curated, preserved and protected. And so for the last couple of decades I have been seeking out and acquiring as many forgotten and lost photos as possible,” the film producer told The Hollywood Reporter.
He shared that the inspiring photograph,...
The man in the photo is known as Peter, who is portrayed by Will Smith in the upcoming action-thriller.
During the Los Angeles film premiere on Wednesday, McFarland told reporters that, due to his “love of history,” he curates and owns a collection of photographs capturing African Americans from the 19th century.
Read More: Will Smith Says He’s Lost Sleep Worrying About Whether Oscars Slap Will Affect ‘Emancipation’ Team’s Success
“They’ve been so poorly curated, preserved and protected. And so for the last couple of decades I have been seeking out and acquiring as many forgotten and lost photos as possible,” the film producer told The Hollywood Reporter.
He shared that the inspiring photograph,...
- 12/2/2022
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Click here to read the full article.
Joey McFarland, the Oscar-nominated producer who has in the past generated headlines for his role in the 1Mdb embezzlement scandal, is sparking controversy once again. At the Emancipation premiere Wednesday, McFarland turned heads by walking the red carpet with the original photograph that inspired the film, one showing the scarred back of a man known as Peter who escaped enslavement.
On the carpet, McFarland told reporters that he curates and owns a collection of photos of African Americans from the 19th century, citing his “love of history.”
“They’ve been so poorly curated, preserved and protected. And so for the last couple of decades I have been seeking out and acquiring as many forgotten and lost photos as possible,” McFarland told The Hollywood Reporter Wednesday. The one that has impacted him the most, he said, is the photograph known as The Scourged Back.
Joey McFarland, the Oscar-nominated producer who has in the past generated headlines for his role in the 1Mdb embezzlement scandal, is sparking controversy once again. At the Emancipation premiere Wednesday, McFarland turned heads by walking the red carpet with the original photograph that inspired the film, one showing the scarred back of a man known as Peter who escaped enslavement.
On the carpet, McFarland told reporters that he curates and owns a collection of photos of African Americans from the 19th century, citing his “love of history.”
“They’ve been so poorly curated, preserved and protected. And so for the last couple of decades I have been seeking out and acquiring as many forgotten and lost photos as possible,” McFarland told The Hollywood Reporter Wednesday. The one that has impacted him the most, he said, is the photograph known as The Scourged Back.
- 12/2/2022
- by Evan Nicole Brown and Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
It’s been six years since the multi-billion dollar 1Mdb corruption scandal — one of the biggest money-laundering frauds in history and one that infiltrated Hollywood when it emerged that stolen Malaysian millions had helped fund The Wolf of Wall Street — erupted.
Since then, the scandal’s central figure Jho Low has gone on the run, the former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has started a 12-year prison term, and the now-shuttered production company behind The Wolf of Wall Street, Red Granite (co-founded by Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz and Emancipation producer Joey McFarland), has paid the Department of Justice a settlement of 60 million, 57 million of which was later sent back to Malaysia.
For Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, the two Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporters who helped bring to light much of the corruption (and were Pulitzer Prize-nominated for their work), the past...
It’s been six years since the multi-billion dollar 1Mdb corruption scandal — one of the biggest money-laundering frauds in history and one that infiltrated Hollywood when it emerged that stolen Malaysian millions had helped fund The Wolf of Wall Street — erupted.
Since then, the scandal’s central figure Jho Low has gone on the run, the former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has started a 12-year prison term, and the now-shuttered production company behind The Wolf of Wall Street, Red Granite (co-founded by Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz and Emancipation producer Joey McFarland), has paid the Department of Justice a settlement of 60 million, 57 million of which was later sent back to Malaysia.
For Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, the two Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporters who helped bring to light much of the corruption (and were Pulitzer Prize-nominated for their work), the past...
- 11/2/2022
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Pras Michel, a rapper known as a member of the group The Fugees, is going to have to be “Ready Or Not” for a trial in federal court where he is charged with campaign finance conspiracy to secure foreign campaign donations for an unaware United States presidential candidate, suspected to be Barack Obama when he was running in 2012.
Michel’s partner is this scheme was reportedly Jho Low, a Malaysian businessman who is currently internationally wanted for his crimes.
He reportedly secured the donation money by laundering from the country’s sovereign investment fund: 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb).
Low is accused of lining his pockets with as much as 4.5 billion in money from 1Mdb which was diverted around the world by other co-conspirators. The U.S. Department of Justice called this scam the “largest kleptocracy case to date.”
Interestingly, another celebrity is involved in this trial as a witness, and that...
Michel’s partner is this scheme was reportedly Jho Low, a Malaysian businessman who is currently internationally wanted for his crimes.
He reportedly secured the donation money by laundering from the country’s sovereign investment fund: 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb).
Low is accused of lining his pockets with as much as 4.5 billion in money from 1Mdb which was diverted around the world by other co-conspirators. The U.S. Department of Justice called this scam the “largest kleptocracy case to date.”
Interestingly, another celebrity is involved in this trial as a witness, and that...
- 10/19/2022
- by Jacob Linden
- Uinterview
Exclusive: A feature documentary about the 1Mdb scandal and one of the fund’s alleged masterminds, international fugitive Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, has started production this week in London.
Man on the Run will chart how Low Taek Jho was born to a rich family from Penang Island, Malaysia, and educated at the elite Harrow School in London and the Wharton School of Business in the U.S. Before he was wanted for his role in the 1Mdb scandal, the 40-year-old businessman and financier led a glamorous life that included paying to party with celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and dating supermodel Miranda Kerr. He was involved in the financing of Martin Scorsese hit The Wolf of Wall Street and has been dubbed “the Asian Great Gatsby.”
But he has since faced charges of massive money laundering and a litany of other offences related to the multibillion-dollar...
Man on the Run will chart how Low Taek Jho was born to a rich family from Penang Island, Malaysia, and educated at the elite Harrow School in London and the Wharton School of Business in the U.S. Before he was wanted for his role in the 1Mdb scandal, the 40-year-old businessman and financier led a glamorous life that included paying to party with celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and dating supermodel Miranda Kerr. He was involved in the financing of Martin Scorsese hit The Wolf of Wall Street and has been dubbed “the Asian Great Gatsby.”
But he has since faced charges of massive money laundering and a litany of other offences related to the multibillion-dollar...
- 3/14/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
House Of Cards creator and showrunner Beau Willimon and his Westward producing partner Jordan Tappis have teamed with Crazy Rich Asians’ co-financier Sk Global to develop a television series based on Tom Wright and Bradley Hope’s bestseller Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World. Tony Award-winning M. Butterfly playwright David Henry Hwang is attached to write the adaptation and executive produce.
Sk Global and Westward will finance and oversee all stages of development and production.
Written by award-winning Wall Street Journal reporters Wright and Hope, Billon Dollar Whale gives an inside account of Malaysia’s shocking 1Mdb money-laundering scandal, exposing the secret nexus of elite wealth, banking, Hollywood, and politics. The book centers on the heist’s alleged mastermind, international fugitive Jho Low, and his adventures in Hollywood (financing Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street), and Wall Street (making Goldman Sachs...
Sk Global and Westward will finance and oversee all stages of development and production.
Written by award-winning Wall Street Journal reporters Wright and Hope, Billon Dollar Whale gives an inside account of Malaysia’s shocking 1Mdb money-laundering scandal, exposing the secret nexus of elite wealth, banking, Hollywood, and politics. The book centers on the heist’s alleged mastermind, international fugitive Jho Low, and his adventures in Hollywood (financing Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street), and Wall Street (making Goldman Sachs...
- 11/23/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“House of Cards” creator and showrunner Beau Willimon and his Westward producing partner Jordan Tappis will work with “Crazy Rich Asians” co-financier Sk Global to develop a TV series based on the blockbuster novel “Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World.”
Sk Global and Willimon’s independent film, TV and music studio Westward will independently finance and oversee all stages of development and production.
David Henry Hwang — the three-time Pulitzer finalist and playwright, librettist, screenwriter and Columbia University professor, known for his works “M. Butterfly,” “Yellow Face” and “Soft Power” — will write and executive produce. Other executive producers include Willimon, Tappis, Sk Global co-CEOs John Penotti and Charlie Corwin and Sk Global president of TV Marcy Ross. Actor Michelle Yeoh will also be a producer on the series.
“Billion Dollar Whale” is an inside account of 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s shocking money-laundering scandal that...
Sk Global and Willimon’s independent film, TV and music studio Westward will independently finance and oversee all stages of development and production.
David Henry Hwang — the three-time Pulitzer finalist and playwright, librettist, screenwriter and Columbia University professor, known for his works “M. Butterfly,” “Yellow Face” and “Soft Power” — will write and executive produce. Other executive producers include Willimon, Tappis, Sk Global co-CEOs John Penotti and Charlie Corwin and Sk Global president of TV Marcy Ross. Actor Michelle Yeoh will also be a producer on the series.
“Billion Dollar Whale” is an inside account of 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s shocking money-laundering scandal that...
- 11/22/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Producer Doug Belgrad, director-producer Rod Lurie, and writer Scott Conroy have teamed up for an untitled film based on the true story of how independent journalist and blogger Clare Rewcastle Brown blew the lid off of the Malaysian 1Mdb financial swindle, which became one of the biggest public corruption scandals in history.
Conroy has adapted the screenplay from Brown’s book The Sarawak Report. Lurie, the former journalist/critic who last helmed The Outpost, will direct the film, and will also produce alongside Belgrad and his Sony-based, 2.0 Entertainment production banner. Sony will get first look at the project.
The 1Mdb scandal involves the fleecing of billions of dollars of Malaysian taxpayer money, a big chunk of which has never been recovered. The scheme was originally uncovered by the courageous work of the intrepid and fearless Englishwoman who was born and raised in Malaysia and decided she could...
Conroy has adapted the screenplay from Brown’s book The Sarawak Report. Lurie, the former journalist/critic who last helmed The Outpost, will direct the film, and will also produce alongside Belgrad and his Sony-based, 2.0 Entertainment production banner. Sony will get first look at the project.
The 1Mdb scandal involves the fleecing of billions of dollars of Malaysian taxpayer money, a big chunk of which has never been recovered. The scheme was originally uncovered by the courageous work of the intrepid and fearless Englishwoman who was born and raised in Malaysia and decided she could...
- 7/9/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The Wall Street Journal reporters who blew the lid off a $6 billion scandal are now launching an outfit that promises to lay bare more true stories from around the world.
Tom Wright and Bradley Hope have teamed for Project Brazen, a multi-platform journalism studio that will uncover global true stories from the world of entertainment, business, crime and international politics via podcasts, books, documentaries, television series and films.
Wright and Hope worked together at the Wall Street Journal and led the newspaper’s team that exposed the 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1Mdb) scandal, a $6 billion fraud that brought down a government and forced Goldman Sachs to pay the largest ever penalty under U.S. bribery laws.
Sought by authorities for the 1Mdb fraud is Malaysian playboy Jho Low, who befriended banks, Hollywood celebrities and politicians, and remains a fugitive to this day. Project Brazen was the codename Wright and Hope gave...
Tom Wright and Bradley Hope have teamed for Project Brazen, a multi-platform journalism studio that will uncover global true stories from the world of entertainment, business, crime and international politics via podcasts, books, documentaries, television series and films.
Wright and Hope worked together at the Wall Street Journal and led the newspaper’s team that exposed the 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1Mdb) scandal, a $6 billion fraud that brought down a government and forced Goldman Sachs to pay the largest ever penalty under U.S. bribery laws.
Sought by authorities for the 1Mdb fraud is Malaysian playboy Jho Low, who befriended banks, Hollywood celebrities and politicians, and remains a fugitive to this day. Project Brazen was the codename Wright and Hope gave...
- 2/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, the former Wall Street Journal reporters who together led the team that broke open the 1Mdb scandal, are launching Project Brazen, a journalism studio that will tell true stories and develop IP for multiple formats including series and podcasts.
The pair also co-penned the book Billion Dollar Whale, about the fraud’s mastermind, Malaysian playboy Jho Low. The $6 billion scandal brought down a government and forced Goldman Sachs to pay the largest ever penalty under U.S. bribery laws. A series based on the book is in development with Sk Global.
Project Brazen was the codename Wright and Hope gave to a three-year investigation that spanned the globe from Curaçao to Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles, and is being repurposed for the duo’s new outfit. The company is aiming to create and develop IP across podcasts, books, documentaries, television series and films. It...
The pair also co-penned the book Billion Dollar Whale, about the fraud’s mastermind, Malaysian playboy Jho Low. The $6 billion scandal brought down a government and forced Goldman Sachs to pay the largest ever penalty under U.S. bribery laws. A series based on the book is in development with Sk Global.
Project Brazen was the codename Wright and Hope gave to a three-year investigation that spanned the globe from Curaçao to Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles, and is being repurposed for the duo’s new outfit. The company is aiming to create and develop IP across podcasts, books, documentaries, television series and films. It...
- 2/24/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Prosecutors in the 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1Mdb) trial have produced a document they claim reveals a $9 million advance to the producers of the Oscar-nominated The Wolf of Wall Street from a company owned by fugitive businessman Jho Low.
The High Court in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur got a document that showed the transaction, made in September 2012, involved the Red Granite Productions Inc. account at City National Bank Los Angeles and was paid as “advances for Wolf of Wall Street Movie for Achl,” according to multiple local media reports. The money apparently came from Low’...
The High Court in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur got a document that showed the transaction, made in September 2012, involved the Red Granite Productions Inc. account at City National Bank Los Angeles and was paid as “advances for Wolf of Wall Street Movie for Achl,” according to multiple local media reports. The money apparently came from Low’...
- 10/1/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Prosecutors in the 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1Mdb) trial have produced a document they claim reveals a $9 million advance to the producers of the Oscar-nominated The Wolf of Wall Street from a company owned by fugitive businessman Jho Low.
The High Court in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur got a document that showed the transaction, made in September 2012, involved the Red Granite Productions Inc. account at City National Bank Los Angeles and was paid as “advances for Wolf of Wall Street Movie for Achl,” according to multiple local media reports. The money apparently came from Low’...
The High Court in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur got a document that showed the transaction, made in September 2012, involved the Red Granite Productions Inc. account at City National Bank Los Angeles and was paid as “advances for Wolf of Wall Street Movie for Achl,” according to multiple local media reports. The money apparently came from Low’...
- 10/1/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A documentary looking into the 1Mdb corruption scandal, which saw in excess of $4.5 billion allegedly stolen from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund and used to finance vast global shopping sprees, including a major foray into Hollywood, has been threatened by one of its main subjects.
Lawyers working on behalf of Jho Low, claimed by the Department of Justice to be one of the central figures behind the conspiracy and now a fugitive wanted by U.S., Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, have — The Hollywood Reporter understands — sent letters to a number of distributors and platforms carrying The ...
Lawyers working on behalf of Jho Low, claimed by the Department of Justice to be one of the central figures behind the conspiracy and now a fugitive wanted by U.S., Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, have — The Hollywood Reporter understands — sent letters to a number of distributors and platforms carrying The ...
- 7/31/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A documentary looking into the 1Mdb corruption scandal, which saw in excess of $4.5 billion allegedly stolen from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund and used to finance vast global shopping sprees, including a major foray into Hollywood, has been threatened by one of its main subjects.
Lawyers working on behalf of Jho Low, claimed by the Department of Justice to be one of the central figures behind the conspiracy and now a fugitive wanted by U.S., Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, have — The Hollywood Reporter understands — sent letters to a number of distributors and platforms carrying The ...
Lawyers working on behalf of Jho Low, claimed by the Department of Justice to be one of the central figures behind the conspiracy and now a fugitive wanted by U.S., Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, have — The Hollywood Reporter understands — sent letters to a number of distributors and platforms carrying The ...
- 7/31/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Wolf of Wall Street producer Joey McFarland handed over a trove of movie memorabilia including vintage posters from Hollywood classics King Kong and Cool Hand Luke as well as a drawing by Jean-Michel Basquiat as the U.S. government continues to reclaim items alleged to have been purchased via money stolen from Malaysia's scandal-plagued 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund.
Bloomberg reported that according to a filing presented in a Los Angeles federal court Monday, McFarland had received the valuable vintage posters, artwork as well as a cache of luxury watches from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the theft ...
Bloomberg reported that according to a filing presented in a Los Angeles federal court Monday, McFarland had received the valuable vintage posters, artwork as well as a cache of luxury watches from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the theft ...
- 7/17/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Wolf of Wall Street producer Joey McFarland handed over a trove of movie memorabilia including vintage posters from Hollywood classics King Kong and Cool Hand Luke as well as a drawing by Jean-Michel Basquiat as the U.S. government continues to reclaim items alleged to have been purchased via money stolen from Malaysia's scandal-plagued 1Mdb sovereign wealth fund.
Bloomberg reported that according to a filing presented in a Los Angeles federal court Monday, McFarland had received the valuable vintage posters, artwork as well as a cache of luxury watches from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the theft ...
Bloomberg reported that according to a filing presented in a Los Angeles federal court Monday, McFarland had received the valuable vintage posters, artwork as well as a cache of luxury watches from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the theft ...
- 7/17/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, has been charged in an international campaign finance conspiracy case.
The U.S. Justice Department announced details Friday of a four-count indictment that accused Michel of conspiring with fugitive Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, aka “Jho Low,” to make and conceal foreign campaign contributions to an unidentified 2012 U.S. presidential candidate.
Michel and Low were each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions, the indictment said. Michel was additionally charged with one count of a scheme to conceal material facts and two counts of making a false entry in a record in connection with the conspiracy.
The feds allege Low directed more than $21.6 million to be transferred from foreign entities to Michel’s accounts “for the purpose of funneling significant sums of money into the United States presidential election as purportedly legitimate contributions,...
The U.S. Justice Department announced details Friday of a four-count indictment that accused Michel of conspiring with fugitive Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, aka “Jho Low,” to make and conceal foreign campaign contributions to an unidentified 2012 U.S. presidential candidate.
Michel and Low were each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions, the indictment said. Michel was additionally charged with one count of a scheme to conceal material facts and two counts of making a false entry in a record in connection with the conspiracy.
The feds allege Low directed more than $21.6 million to be transferred from foreign entities to Michel’s accounts “for the purpose of funneling significant sums of money into the United States presidential election as purportedly legitimate contributions,...
- 5/11/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
The Fugees’ Pras Michael pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and falsifying records stemming from the rapper’s alleged role in a Malaysian wealth fund’s campaign finance violations.
According to Bloomberg, the Justice Department have pursued charges against several people tied to 1Mdb, a wealth fund tasked with promoting economic development in Malaysia, over the fund’s contributions to then-President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.
Michel – facing one charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States government and making a false statement and two counts of...
According to Bloomberg, the Justice Department have pursued charges against several people tied to 1Mdb, a wealth fund tasked with promoting economic development in Malaysia, over the fund’s contributions to then-President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.
Michel – facing one charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States government and making a false statement and two counts of...
- 5/10/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Founding member of The Fugees, Pras Michel, is in serious legal trouble with the feds for allegedly funneling millions of dollars worth of campaign contributions. Federal prosecutors in D.C. slapped the rapper with a 4-count indictment Friday ... claiming he and infamous Malaysian businessman Jho Low conspired to funnel funds from foreign accounts to make political contribution in the U.S. ... reportedly for President Obama. Although the indictment doesn't mention Obama by name ... it says...
- 5/10/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Calculated or clueless? Savior or shark? The premiere of HBO’s “The Inventor” earlier this month has sparked new debate over disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes and just how much she knew about the demise of her healthcare technology company, Theranos.
The documentary, which tracks Holmes’ meteoric rise through Silicon Valley and her subsequent fall from grace when her startup is revealed to have defrauded investors with false claims and earnings, has also sparked renewed interest in the under-pinnings of the tech industry, where new ideas and young leaders are put up on a pedestal,...
The documentary, which tracks Holmes’ meteoric rise through Silicon Valley and her subsequent fall from grace when her startup is revealed to have defrauded investors with false claims and earnings, has also sparked renewed interest in the under-pinnings of the tech industry, where new ideas and young leaders are put up on a pedestal,...
- 3/27/2019
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
Goldman Sachs, which has survived and thrived despite countless scandals over the years, may have finally stepped in a pile of trouble too deep to escape.
There’s even a Donald Trump angle to this latest great financial mess, but the outlines of that subplot – in a case that has countless – remains vague. The bank itself is in the most immediate danger.
The company’s stock rallied Thursday to close at 165, stopping a five-day slide in which the firm lost almost 12 percent of its market value. The company is down 35 percent for the year,...
There’s even a Donald Trump angle to this latest great financial mess, but the outlines of that subplot – in a case that has countless – remains vague. The bank itself is in the most immediate danger.
The company’s stock rallied Thursday to close at 165, stopping a five-day slide in which the firm lost almost 12 percent of its market value. The company is down 35 percent for the year,...
- 12/28/2018
- by Matt Taibbi
- Rollingstone.com
Pras says he doesn't know why the Dept. of Justice is putting him at the center of a scheme to help a Malaysian financier funnel millions into the country -- but he's got a hunch it's due to his skin color. We got the Fugees rapper at Lax where we asked him about this crazy new civil lawsuit filed by the U.S. Doj. He's accused of conspiring with Jho Low in 2017 to sneak tons of cash into U.
- 12/11/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Leonardo DiCaprio Willingly Returned Gifted Oscar to Federal Authorities Amid Criminal Investigation
In 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio willingly returned the Best Actor Oscar that Marlon Brando won for his role in 1954’s On the Waterfront.
Although it happened more than a year ago, the detail resurfaced Tuesday via a New York Times story about financier Jho Low, who is entangled in a criminal investigation and originally gifted DiCaprio the Oscar. According to the Times, Low and others, like Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Najib Razak, allegedly used billions of dollars from an investment fund run by the Malaysian government.
DiCaprio and other celebrities like Miranda Kerr had to give up presents they received, like a grand piano,...
Although it happened more than a year ago, the detail resurfaced Tuesday via a New York Times story about financier Jho Low, who is entangled in a criminal investigation and originally gifted DiCaprio the Oscar. According to the Times, Low and others, like Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Najib Razak, allegedly used billions of dollars from an investment fund run by the Malaysian government.
DiCaprio and other celebrities like Miranda Kerr had to give up presents they received, like a grand piano,...
- 12/11/2018
- by Emily Zauzmer
- PEOPLE.com
Leonardo DiCaprio has handed over to federal authorities an Oscar once awarded to Marlon Brando, as it was a gift to him from a Malaysian financier that has been arrested on charges of committing fraud against an investment fund to the tune of billions of dollars.
According to The New York Times, prosecutors say that arrested financier Jho Low and the former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak were among those who siphoned billions from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb), a fund meant to benefit projects that would service the Malaysian public.
Instead, according to prosecutors, Low took billions from the fund and used it on lavish items and gifts, including a $250 million custom-built yacht, a $35 million Bombadier jet, $200 million in artwork including paintings by Van Gogh and Picasso, and the aforementioned Oscar that Marlon Brando won in 1954 for his performance in “On the Waterfront.”
Low’s connection to DiCaprio goes beyond the gifts.
According to The New York Times, prosecutors say that arrested financier Jho Low and the former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak were among those who siphoned billions from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1Mdb), a fund meant to benefit projects that would service the Malaysian public.
Instead, according to prosecutors, Low took billions from the fund and used it on lavish items and gifts, including a $250 million custom-built yacht, a $35 million Bombadier jet, $200 million in artwork including paintings by Van Gogh and Picasso, and the aforementioned Oscar that Marlon Brando won in 1954 for his performance in “On the Waterfront.”
Low’s connection to DiCaprio goes beyond the gifts.
- 12/9/2018
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
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