Pras of the Fugees is taking legal action against those who’ve shared social media posts alleging he’s an FBI informant. According to the Los Angeles Times, his attorney Jonathan Noah Schwartz sent out notification letters to representatives for 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving and Rolling Stone. He claims their statements defame Pras’ character, and caused him to lose business deals and make less revenue from his music.
Pras, born Prakazrel Samuel Michel, was convicted of various charges tied to an illegal foreign influence scheme, during which he said he communicated with the U.S. government. His testimony resulted in the allegations about him being an informant.
50 called him a “rat,” while Irving tweeted, “A whole FBI informant was in the Fugees for that long??” Rolling Stone, however, reportedly referred to Pras as “an informal FBI informant,” before adjusting it to say he “voluntarily met with FBI agents.”
“It is and was absolutely and demonstrably false for You to publish that Michel was a ‘government informant,’” Schwartz wrote to Rolling Stone. “Labeling a hip-hop artist such as Michel, the reputation of whom is dependent upon ‘street credibility’ and not being a ‘snitch,’ a ‘government informant’ most certainly tends to subject said hip-hop artist to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt and/or disgrace, along with injury in their trade or profession.”
Pras previously denied the informant allegations to TMZ, saying, “I was never in the past, present, or future an FBI or a CIA informant … This is not a Tekashi 6ix9ine situation.”
He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and is waiting to be sentenced.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
