Fugees group member Pras is “stuck” in the United States after a judge shot down his request for international travel.
Pras was hoping to travel to the U.K. for a week, from July 19th to July 26th, to help promote the unveiling of Rolls-Royce’s brand new electric vehicle.
Unfortunately, the rap star’s ban on international travel is being enforced because a judge has shut down his attempt to travel internationally out of fear he may become a fugitive from justice.
Pras is in a serious legal battle with the United States government over claims he helped funnel illegal money into the 2012 presidential election.
The money allegedly came from the infamous international fugitive named Jho Low. The Malaysian “businessman” reportedly stole almost $4 billion from the Malaysian state investment vehicle known as 1MDB.
The international scammer used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, buy hundreds of million dollars worth of real estate, splash millions on models, and even finance the hit movie “The Wolf Of Wall Street.”
According to the Feds, some of that money ended up in the hands of Pras, who allegedly used other people as “straw donors” to get millions in funds to President Barack Obama’s campaign on behalf of Jho Low and his interests.
Pras is also accused of waging an “illegal, back-channel lobbying campaign” to convince President Trump to have the government drop the investigation.
For his part, Pras vehemently denies any allegations of wrongdoing, but the government wants to keep tabs on the rapper. Pras offered to check in daily at the United States embassy in London, but the judge was not moved.
Even though the government has already frozen over $75 million of Pras’ money, the government believes he still has “substantial financial resources at his disposal.”
The seriousness of the pending charges against Pras could motivate him to flee, according to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.
“Only a total bar on international travel can secure [Pras’] continued participation in this case,” Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled.
The canceled business with Rolls-Royce is the latest setback for Pras.
In January of 2022, The Fugees were forced to scrap their 25th-anniversary celebration tour in the United States due to the Covid-19 pandemic.