Ex-Fugee Pras is preparing to sue hip-hop mogul 50 Cent, NBA star Kyrie Irving and Rolling Stone magazine over social media posts and a news article that alleged he was an FBI informant.
On Wednesday, Pras’ attorney Jonathan Noah Schwartz sent notification letters to 50 Cent, Irving and Rolling Stone that were obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
They include the allegedly defamatory statements about him being a “rat,” “government informant” and “FBI informant” after he was convicted of political conspiracy last month.
Pras — whose real name is Prakazrel Michel — plans to sue in Miami-Dade County. Florida law requires plaintiffs to notify all parties with a letter noting the allegedly defamatory comments at least five days before filing a lawsuit.
In the letters, Schwartz wrote that the statements made by 50 Cent, Irving and Rolling Stone led Pras to lose business deals and music revenue.
“It is and was absolutely and demonstrably false for You to publish that Michel was a ‘government informant,’” Schwartz wrote in the letter sent to Rolling Stone.
“Labeling a hip-hop artist such as Michel, the reputation of whom is dependent upon ‘street credibility’ and not being a ‘snitch,’ a ‘government informant’ most certainly tends to subject said hip-hop artist to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt and/or disgrace, along with injury in their trade or profession.”
According to the letters, David Kenner — the lawyer who defended Pras during the federal criminal trial that ended with the rapper being convicted of political conspiracy on April 26 — also plans to sue over lost clients because of the alleged defamation.
“The Rolling Stone article resulted in the false and defamatory label being made in hundreds of viral local, national, and international media news stories and blog posts that have harmed the business interests, reputations … of Pras and attorney Kenner,” said Pras’ spokesperson, Erica Dumas, in a statement emailed to the LA Times.
“It is unacceptable for any media outlet to publish unfounded and false allegations that can damage the businesses and reputations of individuals and put them at risk.”
Dumas also said that 50 Cent and Irving put Pras and Kenner’s “safety at risk” by calling Pras a “rat” and an “FBI informant,” respectively
The defamation allegations come from testimony during Pras’ trial in which he was convicted of various charges tied to an illegal foreign influence scheme — including a plan to get former President Trump to extradite a Chinese national living in the US who was facing criminal charges in China.
In an April 18 article, Rolling Stone referred to Pras as “an informal FBI informant,” but the story was subsequently edited to say that he “voluntarily met with FBI agents,” deleting the “informant” language.
But, according to the letters, by the time that edit was made, many stories quoting the earlier version of the Rolling Stone article with the “FBI informant” language had spread online.
“Look, I was never in the past, present or future an FBI or a CIA informant,” Pras told TMZ earlier this week. “Never ever. If people want to check it out, look at the testimonies — they could see that all within the records, and all the DC courts.”
Pras — who was found guilty on all counts of conspiracy, concealment of material facts, making false entries in records, witness tampering and serving as an unregistered agent of a foreign power — is awaiting sentencing.
He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to prosecutors.
