(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Actor Leonardo DiCaprio testified in a federal trial on Monday, shedding light on a financial scheme that allowed China to secretly funnel some $30 million into former President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.
According to the Post Millennial, the Obama campaign received the hefty donation from Jho Low—a Malaysian financier with whom DiCaprio used to party—who also happened to be lobbying on behalf of the Chinese government.
Recent investigations revealed that much of the donated money was funneled through Fugees rapper Prakazrel Michel, an American citizen, since foreigners are not allowed to donate to campaigns.
Michel dolled out the funds to 20 “straw donors from June to November 2012.” The donors gave the money to the Obama campaign in their names to avoid leaving a trail back to Low.
However, Low admitted to DiCaprio that he planned to give to the campaign.
“It was a casual conversation about what party he was in support of,” DiCaprio said. “I told him what party I was in support of, and he told me that he—or he and a group—were going to make a significant contribution to the Democratic Party. … I said ‘wow, that’s a lot of money.’”
Michel accepted $70 million from Low for his services and faced 11 criminal charges for attempts to influence both Obama and Trump campaigns.
Low, who is currently a fugitive from U.S. law-enforcement, faces trial for embezzling funds, as well; legal experts speculated that the money came from illicit sources.
Low’s relationship with DiCaprio reportedly stretched back to 2013, after the release of The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio described Low as a high-ranking businessman in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia.
The Malaysian financier is hiding in either Macau or Hong Kong. Experts speculate that the Chinese government provided him protection to escape Malaysia.
