Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the iconic hip-hop group The Fugees, has filed a lawsuit against his former bandmate Lauryn Hill and MLH Touring, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case 1:24-cv-07403). The complaint, filed this morning, alleges fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract concerning The Fugees’ 2023 reunion tour.
The lawsuit claims that Hill exploited Michel’s “vulnerable legal situation,” manipulating him into an unfair agreement regarding the tour’s financial arrangements. According to the complaint, Hill allegedly made off with a significant share of the tour’s proceeds, leaving Michel with a small portion that wasn’t in line with previous Fugees tours.
In an email to the Black Press’ Let It Be Known News, Michel’s legal team, Robert S. Meloni of Meloni & McCaffrey, accuses Hill of concealing her intention to control the tour’s profits and misrepresenting crucial financial information. “We assert that Ms. Hill misrepresented critical financial information and concealed her intent to take an excessive 60% share of the tour’s proceeds, leaving Mr. Michel with only 20% instead of the group’s customary one-third split,” Meloni stated.
Michel’s legal complaint also highlighted Hill’s reported chronic tardiness during the tour, with concerts frequently starting two or more hours late. The lawsuit further alleges that Hill canceled the second half of the tour, financially penalizing and defrauding Michel in the process.
Michel is no stranger to legal controversy. He was found guilty in 2023 of conspiring with fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low in three lobbying schemes to influence U.S. presidential administrations. While he remained free pending sentencing, Michel’s primary defense lawyer allegedly inappropriately relied on an experimental generative AI tool to create his closing argument in the star’s high-profile criminal trial.
Michel’s new defense attorneys filed a motion late last year seeking a retrial. Michel’s new lawyer from the firm, ArentFox Schiff, stated that the Fugees’ member’s previous lawyer, David Kenner, made a poor closing argument, saying that it was frivolous, misunderstood the necessary points, mixed up different schemes, and overlooked important weaknesses in the government’s case.
The attorneys also asserted the conduct of U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of Washington, D.C, as a factor. In a separate legal action, Michel wants Hill held accountable for allegedly sabotaging the Fugees’ tour.
“This legal action aims to hold Ms. Hill accountable and secure justice for Mr. Michel,” Meloni stated in the complaint.
By: Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
