Actor Leonardo DiCaprio took the witness stand in federal courtroom in Washington, D.C., on Monday to testify within the trial of hip-hop big name Pras Michel on fees Michel ran an unlawful multimillion-dollar affect scheme, which he denies.
A founding member of the ’90s team the Fugees, Michel is accused of illicitly funneling cash from a Malaysian financier into U.S. politics, together with through making contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection marketing campaign.
Michel has maintained his innocence and at one level rejected a plea settlement be offering from the federal government. His trial started on Thursday.
He declined to touch upon DiCaprio’s testimony when requested through ABC News on Monday.
Leonardo DiCaprio appears on as he attends the Governors Ball following the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Feb. 9, 2020.
Eric Gaillard/Reuters, FILE
DiCaprio, known as as a prosecution witness, took the stand in a gloomy, adapted swimsuit and light-blue blouse together with his signature goatee and slicked hair because the court docket swelled to capability. He spoke slowly and moderately as he replied questions from the federal government about his courting with alleged fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, often referred to as Jho Low.
Michel is charged with conspiring to devote fraud, making unlawful marketing campaign contributions and falsifying information, amongst different counts. Prosecutors perceived to use DiCaprio’s testimony to turn the jury how Low allegedly leveraged cash to achieve get admission to to tough and rich other folks, together with celebrities.
DiCaprio isn’t accused of legal wrongdoing.
His testimony featured some lighter moments: At one level he was once requested about main points from a celebration with Low in Las Vegas and admitted he could not fairly recall, eliciting some laughter from the court docket target audience.
He mentioned Low invited him to wait a number of events and occasions after the 2 first met in Las Vegas over a decade in the past.
Leonardo DiCaprio observed at Lincoln Center, Dec. 05, 2021 in New York City.
Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan by the use of Getty Image, FILE
“He would have a multitude of lavish parties,” DiCaprio mentioned.
Low were inquiring about initiatives DiCaprio was once excited by pursuing when DiCaprio broached the speculation of financing his film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the actor testified. At the time, DiCaprio mentioned he handiest knew of Low as an “incredibly successful” businessman.
After DiCaprio and the studio carried out background assessments, DiCaprio mentioned, his representatives gave the “green light” to continue with Low financing the movie thru his manufacturing corporate, Red Granite Pictures.
At one level, DiCaprio described a dialogue with Low about politics wherein he mentioned the financier mentioned creating a “significant donation” to the Democratic Party of about “$20 to $30 million.”
“I said, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of money,'” DiCaprio recalled.
Grammy award-winning Fugees rapper Prakazrel (Pras) Michel, who’s dealing with legal fees in an alleged unlawful lobbying marketing campaign, arrives for opening arguments in his trial at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., March 30, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters, FILE
The protection wondered DiCaprio immediately about attainable issues of the overseas financing of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” DiCaprio mentioned he was once mindful of “complications” with the cash however that he was once by no means requested to offer any of it again.
Other attainable witnesses within the trial may just come with former Trump White House leader of workforce John Kelly, former Trump nationwide safety adviser H.R. McMaster and on line casino multi-millionaire Steve Wynn, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
After DiCaprio stepped down from the stand on Monday, the courtroom started listening to from a former congressional candidate, Rudolph Moise, who testified to taking cash from Michel earlier than understanding the possible legal liabilities.
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