DiCaprio testifies in money-laundering case of Fugees rapper

WASHINGTON — Movie star 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 iconic 1990s hip-hop group, The Fugees — is accused of funneling money from a fugitive Malaysian financer through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Low became a regular contributor to DiCaprio’s charitable foundation, and eventually Low floated the idea of providing the primary financing for “The Wolf of Wall Street.” DiCaprio said he had Low’s funding and legitimacy carefully vetted before entering into a business relationship. “He was a legitimate business person wanting to invest in the movie.” DiCaprio also recalled a “casual conversation” with Low in which Low told him he intended to make a large contribution to Obama’s reelection campaign. “I said, ‘Wow that’s a lot of money!’” After DiCaprio, multiple witnesses testified that they had been approached by Michel to make shadow contributions to the Obama campaign.