Grammy-winning Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was sentenced Thursday to 14 years in federal prison for funneling foreign money into former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, concluding one of the most sweeping and unusual political finance cases ever involving a celebrity.

Michel, 52, was convicted in April 2023 on 10 federal counts—including conspiracy, witness tampering, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent—after prosecutors said he helped Malaysian financier Jho Low secretly channel tens of millions of dollars into U.S. politics. The high-profile trial drew testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, underscoring the global reach and political consequences of the scheme.

Prosecutors argued Michel “sold out his country for money,” pushing for a life sentence under federal guidelines. They told the court that Michel’s actions posed national security dangers, involved repeated deception, and demonstrated “breathtaking greed.”

Michel’s legal team condemned the request as extreme. Defense attorney Peter Zeidenberg called the 14-year sentence “wildly disproportionate,” noting that life terms are usually reserved for terrorists or cartel leaders. Michel intends to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.

Michel declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly handed down the punishment.