Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio recently took the stand as a witness in the trial of ex-Fugees rapper Pras Michel, who is facing charges of accepting money from a Malaysian billionaire, Jho Low, in exchange for influencing US politicians. The case involves allegations of illegal contributions to Barack Obama’s 2012 US presidential campaign and attempts to lobby Trump administration officials to abandon an investigation into Low’s alleged role in the 1MDB scandal.
During his testimony, DiCaprio – who is not accused of any wrongdoing – was asked to describe his financial ties to Low. He explained that he had first met the billionaire at a party in Las Vegas in 2010 and subsequently attended “a multitude of lavish parties” on yachts and nightclubs, often alongside other celebrities, actors and musicians.
The parties, which drew the likes of Alicia Keys, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, were allegedly part of Low’s efforts to curry favour with high-profile figures. According to reports, Low was “especially generous” with DiCaprio, donating a $3.2m work of art by Picasso to his charity and a $9.2m piece from Jean-Michel Basquiat.
DiCaprio’s 2013 film Wolf of Wall Street was also partially funded by a company linked to Low, who prosecutors say used his vast resources to bring “secret, illegal foreign influence to bear” on US politics.
During his testimony, DiCaprio stated that Low had also actively participated in auctions held by his environmentally focused foundation in St Tropez, with the aim of bringing in funds. Later in their relationship, Low reportedly expressed an interest in making a “significant contribution” of between $20m and $30m to the Democratic party ahead of the 2012 presidential election.
While DiCaprio did not accuse Michel of any wrongdoing, the rapper is accused of making illegal contributions to Obama’s campaign using an illegal network of third parties paid with foreign funds. He is also facing charges of conspiracy and witness tampering.
Michel is alleged to have received more than $100m (£80m) from Low, who is accused of stealing billions from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund in the 1MDB scandal. Michel and Low are both facing charges in the case, but only Michel is appearing in court. Low is currently at large and believed to be in China.
The case is expected to draw testimony from a number of high-profile figures, including former US government officials and political insiders. The trial has also named actors Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and Mark Wahlberg as possible witnesses, in addition to director Martin Scorsese and Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and previously a lawyer for Donald Trump.
