Pras Michel Sues Lauryn Hill Over Alleged Fraud Scheme

The ongoing tension between Pras Michel and Ms. Lauryn Hill has escalated to a new level. According to a recent report from *Billboard* (via Billboard), Pras is now taking legal action against the Fugees’ leading figure, Ms. Lauryn Hill, accusing her of orchestrating a “devious” fraud scheme. Legal documents filed in a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday reveal that Pras claims Hill persuaded him to join the 2023 reunion tour, which he alleges was primarily to serve her own interests. The lawsuit also touches on issues surrounding the 2024 tour, which Pras’s lawyers describe as suffering from “gross mismanagement.”

According to the legal documents, Pras alleges that Hill misrepresented how the tour profits would be divided. Instead of an equal three-way split, she allegedly planned to take 40% of the gross earnings. Pras also claims that the payments he received were significantly lower than expected due to inflated production costs and because the tour ended prematurely. Furthermore, he alleges that Hill falsely informed Live Nation, Wyclef Jean, and himself that they had agreed to extend the tour to make an additional $1 million but then kept the entire sum for herself.

LAURYN HILL REACTS TO PRAS ALLEGATIONS

 

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In her response, Hill said the lawsuit “notably omits” that Michél was given an overpaid advance of $3 million for the last tour and that he had yet to “repay substantial loans” she made to him as an “act of goodwill” so he could pay off his legal fees.

“Last year’s tour was put together to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was being planned whether the Fugees were involved or not,” she claimed. “The tour was expanded to incorporate the Fugees because I found out that Pras was in trouble and would need money to aid his legal defense.”

Hill added that she covered “most of the tour expenses” along with the advance sent to Michél. “Pras has not paid back the money he was advanced, and is currently in breach of this agreement,” Hill wrote.

THE EXPENSES OF TOURING

“Because my tour, band, production, and set up were already happening, the Fugees set utilized this same production. I absorbed most of the expenses myself, produced the show, put together the entire set (with Wyclef’s participation for the Fugees and Wyclef’s set),” she wrote. “Pras basically just had to show up and perform.”

“As of the last tour, Pras thanked me for ‘saving his life’ (I have the receipts),” Hill added.

Hill ended her bulleted statement by saying it is “absolutely disheartening” to see Michél “in this position” and pointed back to his legal troubles, which she said she had no role in. At the time of the Fugees tour, Michél was facing large legal fees over a battle with the Department of Justice after being named a co-defendant with Jho Low, who allegedly stole $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund. Michél was convicted in 2023 for acting as an agent of China, although he was never accused of participating in the theft.

“I was not in Pras’ life when he decided to make the unfortunate decision that led to his current legal troubles,” Hill wrote. “I did not advise that he make that decision and therefore am in no way responsible for his decision and its consequences though I have taken it upon myself to help.”

PRAS’ FINAL ACCUSATION

In a final accusation, Pras asserts that Hill declined a $5 million offer from Coachella, seemingly to prevent him from using the funds to settle his debts. This claim ties back to Pras’s legal troubles from 2019, when he faced 10 federal charges, including conspiracy, witness tampering, and failing to register as a foreign agent. These charges were linked to allegations that he received money from a Malaysian financier to support Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign.

Pras’s lawyers haven’t minced words in their criticism of Hill, describing the 2023 tour agreement as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” They argue that while the advance paid to Pras allowed him to hire a new criminal defense team, the overall deal was exploitative.

What do you think of Pras Michel’s decision to sue Lauryn Hill? Are you surprised by this turn of events? Could this be the final chapter for the Fugees, or is there still hope for reconciliation? How might this impact their future as a group, particularly when it comes to touring together?