Lauryn Hill Faces Fraud Lawsuit from Fugees Bandmate Pras Michel Over Failed Tour
Pras Michel, former Fugees member, has filed a federal lawsuit against Lauryn Hill for fraud and breach of contract regarding their canceled 2023 tour. The lawsuit was filed on October 1 in the Southern District of New York.
Lauryn Hill performing on stage
The lawsuit alleges that Hill:
- Mismanaged tour planning, marketing, and budgeting
- Took 40% of tour guarantees and profits before the remaining 60% split between Hill, Pras, and Wyclef Jean
- Failed to disclose a new Live Nation agreement for additional Fugees shows
- Rejected a $5 million Coachella offer without consulting bandmates
Michel claims the arena tour, which was mostly sold out in advance, should have been profitable but was undermined by:
- Bloated expenses
- Insufficient marketing
- Poor timing in closing deals
- Hill's chronic tardiness at performances
Hill canceled the second half of the tour in November, citing vocal strain. She dismissed the lawsuit as "baseless" and "full of false claims" in a statement to Variety.
The legal action comes amid Michel's ongoing legal troubles related to the Malaysian 1MDB scandal, where he was convicted in April for his role as a co-defendant with Jho Low.
Live Nation ultimately pulled the US tour in August 2023, with Hill attributing poor ticket sales to negative media coverage and earlier show postponements due to injury.
Smash Mouth band performing live onstage
Auckland cityscape with boats at sunset