Fugees rapper Pras Michel missed a sentencing hearing after undergoing emergency surgery for a medical issue.
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The 52-year-old was scheduled to appear in court on Friday to discuss the amount of money he must forfeit after being found guilty in 2023 of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government, according to Billboard.
His lawyers stated in an August filing that the rapper could not attend the hearing due to a “significant medical concern.”
“Pras missed Friday’s sentencing hearing due to emergency surgery for colon cancer,” said the rapper’s spokesperson, Erica Dumas, via Billboard. “We support him and his family and wish him a full recovery.”
Dumas added that the rapper and producer is “recovering right now until he is in the clear and focused on spending time with his family ahead of sentencing” and “remains hopeful for his future.”
The Fugees Rapper Was Convicted of Trying to Influence Trump Administration Officials
Of course, Michel rose to fame as a member of the Fugees, one of the most influential hip-hop groups of the 1990s. Their groundbreaking 1996 album, The Score, earned widespread acclaim and was certified seven times platinum by the RIAA.
However, the rapper was convicted of trying to influence Trump administration officials to stop an investigation into Malaysian businessman Jho Low, who is accused of embezzling money from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Michel was found guilty of conspiring to make and hide illegal campaign contributions during the 2012 U.S. presidential election, with testimony from Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. According to the DOJ, he faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy, falsifying records, witness tampering, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
Michel’s attorneys have asked for a 36-month prison sentence, calling it a “just sentence in this case,” per Billboard.
He is serving prison time and must forfeit money to the federal government. The government is seeking nearly $65 million from Michel, according to Billboard.
Michel’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 3.