Fugees rapper Pras Michel is focusing on his health after missing a scheduled court appearance last week for going under the knife.
Pras, 52, was set to appear in court on Friday, August 29, to determine how much money he would need to forfeit following his 2023 conviction for conspiring to defraud the U.S. government.
“Pras missed Friday’s sentencing hearing while undergoing emergency surgery for colon cancer removal. We stand with him and his family and wish him a full recovery as he addresses this serious health matter,” his spokesperson, Erica Dumas, confirmed in a statement.
Dumas added that Michel is “recovering right now until he is in the clear and focused on spending time with his family ahead of sentencing,” noting that he “remains hopeful for his future.”
Because of the medical emergency, the rapper’s sentencing has been rescheduled for October 3.
The rapper was convicted on 10 counts, including charges of conspiracy, witness tampering, concealment of material facts, and not registering as an agent of a foreign power. He faces up to 22 years in prison after being convicted on multiple charges, including failing to register as an agent of China.
Back in March, he confirmed he was hoping to be pardoned by Trump.
“It’s not a secret we’re working on a pardon. My team, we’re hopeful we’re gonna prevail,” he told TMZ at the time. “When you talk about lawfare and selective prosecution, [Trump and I] probably have that in common. The last Justice Department was probably a little bit egregious. That’s what we have justice for. You just got to trust the process.”