Michel’s illicit foreign malign influence effort is extraordinary—he and his co-conspirators targeted the highest levels of American government through illegal contributions and backchannel influence. They tried to end the DOJ investigation into 1MDB, the largest foreign embezzlement scheme in history, and endeavored to send a PRC national back to China without due process. For his willingness to elevate foreign interests over those of the United States, Michel obtained more than $120 million from the architect of 1MDB, Low Taek Jho. After Michel was caught, he tampered with witnesses and then perjured himself at trial. His sentence should reflect the breadth and depth of his crimes, his indifference to the risks to his country, and the magnitude of his greed.
