Jury Reaches Verdict In Pras Michel's International Conspiracy Trial

Pras Michel has been found guilty of 10 criminal counts in connection to his failed conspiracy scheme that stretched across two presidencies.

According to CNN, a jury handed down the verdict on Wednesday, April 26, during a hearing in federal court. Michel was previously charged with conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions and failing to register as an agent of China. Overall, he faced 10 counts of conspiracy, lying to the Federal Election Commission and witness tampering. He was accused of making attempts to connect Malaysian entrepreneur Jho Low and the Chinese government to both the Obama and Trump administrations.

Earlier this month, Michel took the witness stand and admitted that he accepted $20 million from Low in 2012 in order to get a photo with former President Obama. Prosecutors alleged Michel took $800,000 of his earnings and sent it to Obama's campaign through an array of straw donors. Michel also allegedly advocated for the extradition of Chinese dissident Guo Wengui. They also accused Michel of trying to convince the Trump administration to drop the investigation into Low's role in the embezzlement scandal involving Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB after Low paid the artist another $100 million.

In his defense, Michel denied accepting the $100 million from Low and claimed it was an investment into a media business he was creating. He also told the jury that he only tried to find Low an attorney, and he only told the authorities about Wengui because he believed he was a criminal.

Pras Michel has not commented on the verdict, but his lawyer David Kenner said they plan to appeal. He faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.