Mark Wahlberg has teamed up with Fugees co-founder Pras Michél to produce a documentary about Michél’s life and his high-profile criminal trial.
Produced through Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas banner, the documentary will trace Michél’s Grammy-winning music career, his time at Yale, and his entanglement in one of the world’s largest financial scandals, Variety reports. The documentary will give an inside look into Michél’s perspective on the FBI investigation that led to his conviction on 10 counts, including conspiracy, witness tampering, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China.
“Everyone is fascinated by all the twists and turns, like it’s some kind of thriller,” Michél said in a statement. “But for me, this is just my life—the real, messy, complicated truth of what I’ve been living through.”
The documentary news comes as Michél, facing up to 22 years in prison after his 2023 conviction, had his Oct. 3 sentencing delayed for a third time amid reports that President Donald Trump is considering a pardon. The “Ghetto Superstar” rapper has missed the last two postponed hearings while recovering from colon cancer surgery in August.
Wahlberg, who transitioned into acting in the early ’90s after a successful run with his rap group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, called Michél a “legend” and said he’s honored to collaborate with him on the project.
“I’m rooting for Pras and excited to tell his story,” the Oscar-nominated actor said.
Michél’s charges stem from allegations that he used Malaysian billionaire Jho Low’s illicit funds to influence U.S. officials and political campaigns, including the 2012 Obama campaign and the Trump administration. The documentary will also feature footage Michél personally filmed during key moments, including a meeting in China with a senior CCP official later sentenced to death in 2022 for bribery.
Wahlberg will produce the documentary alongside Unrealistic Ideas president Archie Gips, who describes Michél’s story as “a complex, shocking, and emotional journey” that perfectly fits the company’s focus.
“It’s a fascinating blend of pop culture and geopolitical intrigue — like a real-life spy thriller,” Gips said.
Since becoming an FBI target in 2018, Michél has lost much of his social circle and support system. One of the few people who stood by him was crisis publicist Erica Dumas, who began working with him ahead of the trial and will serve as a producer on the documentary.
“Pras put his complete trust in Mark, Archie, and Stephen [Levinson] at Unrealistic Ideas to tell his story authentically, without any filters or agenda,” Dumas said. “This project doesn’t shy away from the challenging aspects of Pras’ recent experiences.”
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