Leonardo DiCaprio testified in federal court Monday morning as part of a trial involving international money laundering, bribery and a prominent rap artist.
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the 1990s hip hop group The Fugees, is accused of funneling money from a fugitive Malaysian funder through name-brand donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Five years later, prosecutors say he tried to silence an investigation into that same funder under the administration of former President Donald Trump.
At the heart of the case is Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, who is accused of masterminding an international money laundering and bribery scheme that stole billions from Malaysia’s state investment fund known as 1MDB.
DiCaprio’s connection to the case stems from his years-long relationship with Low, who was one of the main financiers of the movie “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Low is on the run, but claims his innocence.
According to the charges, Michel essentially became a conduit for Low’s stolen millions and his attempts to influence the US government. Prosecutors allege that, from June to November 2012, Low ordered more than $21.6 million transferred from foreign entities to Michel’s accounts to funnel money toward the 2012 presidential election. They say Michel then paid some 20 fake donors and conduits so they could make the donations in their names and hide where the money really came from, according to the indictment.
DiCaprio testified that he met and befriended Low at a birthday party in Las Vegas in 2010. “I understood that he was a big businessman with many different connections in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia,” he said.
The 48-year-old Oscar-winning actor answered questions on the dais calmly, occasionally referring to a hazy recollection of details and dates. In addition to his relationship with Low, DiCaprio said he had known the defendant Michel since sometime in the 1990s when they met backstage after a Fugees concert.
Low was known for hosting lavish star-studded parties and group vacations on his private jet for events like the World Cup in Brazil. DiCaprio recounted one trip in particular that involved flying to Australia to celebrate New Year’s Eve and then flying to Las Vegas to celebrate for the second time in one day. Michel was present on some of these trips, DiCaprio said.
Low became a regular contributor to DiCaprio’s charitable foundation and eventually floated the idea of providing primary funding for “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
DiCaprio said he had carefully vetted Low’s funding and legitimacy before entering into a business relationship.
“My team and my studio gave me the green light,” he said. “He was a legitimate business person who wanted to invest in the film.”
DiCaprio also recalled an “informal conversation” with Low in which Low told him that he intended to make a large contribution to Obama’s re-election campaign.
“It was a significant figure, something like 20 or 30 million dollars,” he testified. “I said, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of money!’”
After DiCaprio, several witnesses testified that Michel had approached them about making hidden contributions to the Obama campaign. Richard Kromica, an investment banker, said Michel told him she had reached her legal contribution limit and asked Kromica and her husband Joseph to make a donation on her behalf. Kromica said Michel sent the couple $80,000 to donate.
In other cases, Michel’s acquaintances were offered invitations to fundraising dinners for large donors and told that their attendance would be “sponsored” by Michel and his associates. Jack Brewer, a former NFL player, said Michel wired him $32,000 to cover her participation in one of those Obama fundraisers. But he immediately felt nervous about the arrangement and returned it.
“It just seemed weird to me,” Brewer testified. “You’re sending me money and it’s not a loan and I’m supposed to donate it to a campaign? That sounds shady to me.”
