Leonardo DiCaprio.Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Leonardo DiCapriomade a courtroom appearance during the criminal trial of ex-Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel.
On Monday, DiCaprio, 48, appeared in a Washington, D.C., federal court to take the stand as he testified to his relationship with Malaysian businessman Jho Low, who is accused of giving Michel, 50,more than $100 millionto allegedly influencePresident Donald Trump and other government officialsto drop an investigation into Low, 41.
Michel haspleaded not guilty to the charges; DiCaprio is not accused of any wrongdoing andreportedly testified to a grand juryregarding the investigation before the ex-Fugees rapper was indicted, according to CNN.
DiCaprio is connected to the case through his relationship with Low, who helped finance the actor’s 2013 filmThe Wolf of Wall Streetand also famously giftedDiCaprio with Marlon Brando’s Best Actor Oscarfor 1954’sOn the Waterfront.
The actor willingly returned that Oscar trophy in 2017 as the Department of Justice ramped up its investigation into Low’s activities, as his representativestold PEOPLE in a statement at the time.
Prakazrel “Pras” Michel arrives at court Thursday.Andrew Harnik/AP/Shutterstock
DiCaprio’s presence in the courtroom Monday created a noticeable stir among jury members and a notable moment in which prosecutor Nicole Lockhart asked the actor: “At the risk of asking a stupid question, what do you do for a living?” according to CNN.
The Academy Award winner testified to both his friendships with Michel, whom he said he met in the 1990s, and Low, whom the actor said would invite celebrities to “lavish parties” around the world, CNN reported.
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Low is currently an international fugitive and is suspected of embezzling $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s1MDB sovereign wealth fund, according toThe Washington Post.
DiCaprio testified for roughly one hour Monday, CNN reported, as prosecutors made their case that the Malaysian businessman used stolen money from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund to donate tens of millions of dollars to U.S. political candidates in 2012, as well as to the Los Angeles film production company Red Granite Pictures, which helped produceThe Wolf of Wall Street.
The actor testified Monday that he stopped speaking with Low sometime in 2015 after he was made aware of embezzlement allegations against the businessman, according to CNN.
DiCaprio also returned a Picasso painting he received from an associate of Low’s, who allegedly bought the painting with stolen money, per CNN. The Oscar that DiCaprio returned in 2017 is now in a federal warehouse in Texas.
source: people.com
