What is Pras Michél’s Net Worth?
Pras Michél is an American rapper, producer, and actor with a net worth of $20 million. He’s best known as a founding member of The Fugees, one of the defining hip-hop groups of the 1990s. Alongside Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill, Pras helped shape the group’s genre-blending sound on their two albums, “Blunted on Reality” (1994) and “The Score” (1996). “The Score” became a global smash, moving more than 22 million copies and winning two Grammy Awards, cementing The Fugees’ place in music history. After the group split, Pras scored major solo success with the hit single “Ghetto Superstar” and appeared on “We Are Trying to Stay Alive” from Wyclef Jean’s album “The Carnival.” He also branched into acting and producing, working across films and documentaries.
Despite those highs, Pras’s later years have been overshadowed by legal trouble tied to the Malaysian 1MDB scandal. Federal authorities accused him of accepting $120 million from financier Jho Low and using straw donors to illegally route millions into Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Prosecutors also said he took part in a 2018 effort to influence the Trump administration and the Justice Department to shut down probes into Low, while separately trying to advance the extradition of a Chinese dissident.
In April 2023, Pras was convicted on 10 criminal counts, including money laundering, illegal lobbying, campaign finance violations, and witness tampering. He was later ordered to forfeit nearly $65 million connected to the scheme. In November 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. His attorneys have argued the verdict wasn’t supported by the evidence and say he plans to appeal.
Those legal battles have dramatically reshaped his public legacy, eclipsing the musical achievements that once defined his career.
Early Life
Prakazrel Samuel Michel was born on October 19, 1972, in New York City and raised in Irvington, New Jersey, in a Haitian American household that emphasized education and culture. Music grabbed him early. While at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, he befriended Lauryn Hill, and soon after the two were introduced to Wyclef Jean. Jean’s musical background and family connections helped them get into more structured studio sessions.
The trio rehearsed under Ronald “Khalis” Bell, the producer and founding member of Kool & the Gang. As their chemistry grew, so did their ambitions. Pras also pursued higher education, attending Rutgers University and Yale University, where he studied Philosophy and Psychology. Even as he advanced academically, he stayed focused on music—setting the stage for one of the most influential hip-hop groups of the ‘90s.
The Fugees
Before they were The Fugees, Pras, Hill, and Jean performed as The Rap Translators. Their debut album, “Blunted on Reality,” arrived in 1994 and introduced a socially conscious, Caribbean-infused sound. Their 1996 follow-up, “The Score,” was a phenomenon—multi-platinum sales, more than 22 million copies worldwide, and two Grammys. It remains one of the best-selling and most acclaimed hip-hop albums ever.
While still with the group, Pras launched solo projects. His biggest hit, “Ghetto Superstar,” featuring Mýa and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, became an international smash—top ten in the U.S. and number two in the U.K. The song gained even more exposure in Warren Beatty’s film “Bulworth” and was performed at the World Music Awards. Through the 2000s, he kept releasing music and collaborated with artists like DeDe and Swami, all while maintaining ties to The Fugees.
Film Career
Pras built a parallel career in film. He made his on-screen debut in the 1999 superhero comedy “Mystery Men,” which pushed him further into acting and producing. In 2000, he starred in the drama “Turn It Up,” followed by roles in “Higher Ed,” “Go for Broke,” and later the sci-fi action movie “The Mutant Chronicles.”
Real-world issues drew him into documentary work. In 2006, he released “Skid Row, Los Angeles,” documenting his experience living anonymously on the streets to spotlight homelessness. He later filmed “Paper Dreams,” a documentary about Somali piracy. Production was interrupted when he and crew members were reportedly held hostage by pirates, and the unfinished film was never released.
In 2015, Pras executive produced “Sweet Micky for President,” a documentary about Michel Martelly’s unconventional campaign for Haiti’s presidency. It premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and earned strong reviews.
Relationships
Pras has one son with documentary filmmaker Angela Severiano. In 2014, Severiano sought increased child support, saying their son needed better living conditions. Court filings at the time indicated Pras was earning roughly $1 million per year.
Real Estate
In 2014, Pras joined a high-profile investor group interested in buying New York’s Plaza Hotel in a deal reportedly valued at $2.2 billion. Despite looking at big-ticket investments, he was known to rent luxury homes in Los Angeles and New York, often paying five figures a month for places in neighborhoods like Soho.
Real Estate
In 2014, reports also linked Pras to a $2.2 billion bid to purchase the Plaza Hotel. He joined celebrities like David Sugarman in a group bid. The seller was Subrata Roy, who was serving a prison sentence at the time. Even with that investment push, Pras was renting then—reportedly spending five figures per month on homes in Soho and Los Angeles.
1MDB Scandal
Pras is among the celebrities drawn into the 1MDB investment fund scandal. The fund—run by fugitive financier Jho Low—allegedly siphoned billions from the Malaysian government, with hundreds of millions blown on parties, yachts, private jets, movie financing, and more. Prosecutors said Pras funneled millions into Obama’s 2012 reelection effort through straw donors, then later tried to use political connections to persuade officials in the Trump administration and the Justice Department to end their probes into Low. He was also accused of trying to influence the extradition of a Chinese dissident.
The Justice Department seized tens of millions tied to these activities. Initial forfeiture efforts targeted $38 million, but the government ultimately seized about $95 million linked to Pras—funds alleged to have originated from Low’s stolen assets. Prosecutors also claimed Low transferred at least $21 million to Pras directly, with roughly $2 million later used to support political efforts that gave Low access to high-level political events.
In April 2023, Pras was convicted on 10 federal counts, including money laundering, illegal lobbying, campaign finance violations, and witness tampering. He was later ordered to forfeit nearly $65 million. In November 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. His attorneys say he plans to appeal the conviction.