Leonardo DiCaprio testified Monday (3/4) in a trial for corruption, international money laundering and extortion against Pras Michel, former leader of the Fugees, one of the most famous hip-hop groups of the 90s.
Pras Michel is accused of helping to secretly funnel money from Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, to influence American policy.
Low is alleged to have masterminded an international money laundering and corruption scheme that stole billions from Malaysia’s state-owned investment fund, known as 1MDB.
DiCaprio’s connection to the case stems from his long-term relationship with Low, who was a major financier of the film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013).
Prosecutors say that from June to November 2012, Low directed more than $21.6 million to be transferred from foreign entities to the rapper’s accounts in order to funnel money toward Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election.
They accuse Michel of having paid about 20 oranges to make donations in their name and of hiding the actual origin of the money.
According to DiCaprio’s testimony, Low threw a “group of luxurious parties with many people from all over the world” on boats and nightclubs, where celebrities, including Michel, went. DiCaprio said he met Low around 2010 at a party in Las Vegas, though he vaguely remembers that night.
Low began inviting him to parties regularly, including a New Year’s Eve party when they flew from Australia to the United States on a private plane to see the clocks strike midnight twice.
“I thought he was a big businessman with many different connections in Abu Dhabi, Malaysia. Something of a business prodigy, incredibly successful,” DiCaprio said.
When Low showed interest in financing the film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” starring DiCaprio, the actor’s lawyers and a private investigator investigated the Malaysian financier and eventually gave the green light to the financing. “It means the background check was good and he was considered a legitimate businessman,” the star explained.
Additionally, DiCaprio has accepted gifts from Low for his eco foundation. But in 2015, the star severed ties with Low following suspicions that he was involved in the disappearance of billions of dollars from 1MDB accounts.
The businessman, who allegedly fled to China and remains on the run, used the money to finance his lifestyle, invest in DiCaprio’s film, fraternize with celebrities and influence politics.
According to DiCaprio, the Malaysian also said he would make a significant contribution to the Democratic Party. “A significant amount, about $20-30 million. I said, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of money!'” the actor revealed.
Prosecutors said the Fugees member secretly helped inject Low’s money into then-President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012 through bogus companies.
In the United States, it is illegal for foreigners to donate to political campaigns.
Source: Terra
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