Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, the former Fugees rapper convicted earlier this year on foreign lobbying charges, has taken a dramatic turn in his legal battle. He has sought a new trial in a Washington, D.C. federal court, alleging multiple issues that significantly prejudiced his original trial, including a shocking revelation that his former attorney used an experimental artificial intelligence program to draft closing arguments.

Michel, a Grammy-winning artist who skyrocketed to fame in the late 1990s, and his new legal team at ArentFox Schiff LLP, claim that his former defense attorney, David Kenner of the Kenner Law Firm, employed an "unprecedented" AI program, EyeLevel.AI, to craft closing arguments in a high-stakes trial. This legal battle revolved around allegations that Michel had illegally channeled foreign funds to influence American politics.

Michel contends that Kenner, who he alleges had a financial stake in EyeLevel.AI, not only used this "experimental program" during the trial but also celebrated its capabilities in a press release issued by the AI company after a jury found Michel guilty of multiple charges, including defrauding the U.S. and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Kenner's endorsement of the AI program in the wake of Michel's conviction has raised suspicions that the attorney may have used it during the trial for personal financial gain.

In the eyes of Michel and his new legal team, Kenner's use of EyeLevel.AI substantially damaged Michel's defense, creating an enormous conflict of interest. It appears that financial interests may have outweighed the defense's best interests.

Michel's motion for a new trial is not solely based on AI issues. He argues that various aspects of his original trial were mishandled, from the quality of closing arguments to the introduction of attorney-client privilege conversations as evidence.

These missteps not only eroded the defense but also cast doubts on the verdict's reliability, Michel claims.

Furthermore, the motion alleges that U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly made prejudicial decisions that influenced the trial's outcome. This includes allowing the jury to consider a crime-fraud exception ruling related to Michel's alleged violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the use of a government case agent as an overview witness. The agent's testimony could have significantly impacted the jury's perspective on Michel's guilt.

In a separate motion, Michel has requested acquittal on most counts, arguing that the government's evidence failed to prove his guilt.

Michel was initially convicted for his involvement with Malaysian billionaire Jho Low, accused of funneling funds into former President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign through straw donors. The case also implicates Michel and Low in lobbying former President Donald Trump to halt an investigation into Low's role in the misappropriation of billions from Malaysia's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund. Michel was also found guilty of attempting to extradite Chinese dissident Guo Wengui on behalf of China.

As the legal battle intensifies, Pras Michel's plea for a new trial now rests in the hands of the justice system.