Hollywood icon Leonardo DiCaprio testified Monday morning for the prosecution in federal court as part of the 1MDB money laundering trial of hip-hop star Pras Michel.
DiCaprio’s involvement in the case stems from the money behind his movie “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which was partially financed by the man who allegedly masterminded the 1MDB plot.
Prakazrel ‘Pras’ Michel is a founding member of the 1990s group The Fugees. He is accused of funneling money from fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low through donors to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
Prosecutors allege that Michel attempted to illegally lobby both the Obama and Trump administrations by using funds given to him by Low, which were millions stolen from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.
Prakazrel ‘Pras’ Michel, a member of 1990s hip-hop group The Fugees, arrives in federal court for his trial in an alleged campaign finance conspiracy
Leonardo Dicaprio with Jho Low at the Paris premiere of The Wolf of Wall Street
At the center of the case is Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, said financier accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions of dollars from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund known as 1MDB.
Low is currently a fugitive, but has maintained his innocence.
Michel, according to prosecutors, became a vessel for Low’s stolen millions and his attempts to influence the United States government.
It is alleged that Low transferred more than $21.6 million from foreign accounts to Michel’s accounts from June to November 2012 to funnel money into Obama’s 2012 campaign coffers.
Michel then allegedly used the money to pay 20 donors to pass the money on to the campaign in their name, hiding its true origin.
On Monday, DiCaprio, 48, testified in Washington, D.C. that he met Low and became buddies at a birthday party in Las Vegas in 2010.
“I understood that he was a huge businessman with many different connections in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia,” the A-lister said.
Calmly answering questions in the stands, the Oscar winner said that in addition to his relationship with Low, he had known Michel since sometime in the 90s, when they met backstage after a Fugees concert.
While still riding high, Low was known for throwing lavish parties around the world, often with celebrity guests. He flew groups with his private jet to events such as the World Cup.
Michel, DiCaprio testified, was present on some of those trips, including a flight to Australia for New Year’s Eve and then a flight to Las Vegas to reign for a second time in the new year.
Low built a relationship with DiCaprio through charitable donations to his foundation, eventually offering to provide primary funding for “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
The movie star testified that Low’s financing was vetted and that he “got the go-ahead from both my team and my studio.”
“He was a legitimate businessman who wanted to invest in the movie,” he said.
DiCaprio also recalled a conversation in which Low said he intended to make a major contribution to Obama’s re-election.
“It was a significant amount — something like $20-$30 million,” he said. “I said, wow that’s a lot of money!”
Prosecutors allege Michel attempted to quash an investigation into the financier during the Trump administration
Michel, according to prosecutors, became a ship for Low’s stolen millions and his attempts to influence the United States government
Michel allegedly used more than $20 million in stolen funds to pay 20 donors to pass the money in their name to the Obama 2012 campaign and hide its true origins
DiCaprio’s involvement in the case stems from the money behind his movie “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which was partially financed by the man alleged to be the mastermind behind the 1MDB plot.
Jho Low is accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions of dollars from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund known as 1MDB
The Wolf of Wall Street had a reported budget of $100 million and grossed over $400 million worldwide when it was released in 2013.
It was nominated for five Academy Awards and credits Jho Low in the credits.
The film’s production company, Red Granite, agreed to pay the US government $60 million but admitted no wrongdoing as part of a larger FBI effort to seize nearly $1.7 billion in assets that were reportedly purchased with stolen 1MDB funds.