Leonardo DiCaprio testifies against rapper suspected of lobbying Obama campaign

Leonardo DiCaprio testified in Washington on Monday in a corruption trial against a 1990s hip-hop star and a disgraced Malaysian financier. Pras Michel, a member of the American trio Fugees, is accused of helping to secretly funnel money from Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho to influence American policy.

DiCaprio told the jury what it was like to have parties funded by Low with money allegedly stolen from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB. The star of “Titanic” (1997), called to testify by the prosecution, is not accused of irregularities in what has become one of the biggest cases of embezzlement in the world.

According to the 48-year-old actor, Low organized a “bunch of lavish parties with lots of different people from all over the world” on boats and nightclubs, where celebrities, including Michel, used to go. DiCaprio said he met Low around 2010 at a party in Las Vegas, although he has a vague recollection of that night.

After that, Low regularly invited him to parties, including one on New Year’s, where they flew from Australia to the US in a private plane to see the clocks strike midnight twice. “I thought he was a great businessman with a lot of different connections in Abu Dhabi, Malaysia… Kind of a prodigy in the business world, incredibly successful,” DiCaprio said.

When Low showed interest in financing the film “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), starring DiCaprio, the actor’s lawyers and a private detective investigated the Malaysian financier and, finally, gave the green light. “It means the background check went well and he was found to be a legitimate businessman,” he explained.

Furthermore, DiCaprio accepted gifts from Low for his eco foundation. But in 2015, the actor reported, he severed ties with Low following suspicions that he was involved in the disappearance of billions of dollars from 1MDB accounts.

Low, who allegedly fled to China and remains at large, reportedly used the money to finance his lifestyle, invest in DiCaprio’s movie, fraternize with the rich and famous and influence politics. The Malaysian “has mentioned in passing that … he would make a significant contribution to the Democratic Party,” DiCaprio said. “A significant amount, around 20 to 30 million dollars.”

Prosecutors said the Fugees member secretly helped inject Low’s money into then-President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign through bogus companies.

In the United States, it is illegal for foreigners to donate to political campaigns.