American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison by a Romanian court over a drug-related offence linked to a live performance in the country last year.
The ruling, delivered in absentia, overturned an earlier judgment that had imposed only a monetary fine. Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was arrested in July 2024 for allegedly smoking cannabis during a performance at a music festival in Costinești, a resort town on Romania’s Black Sea coast.
Authorities briefly detained Khalifa before releasing him, and he later issued a public apology, stating that his actions were not intended as disrespect toward Romanian laws or culture.
Initially, the Constanța Tribunal fined him 3,000 lei (approximately $690). Dissatisfied with the fine, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) appealed, arguing that the offence merited a custodial sentence.
The appellate court agreed, handing Khalifa a nine-month jail term for illegal possession of a high-risk drug for personal use. Reports indicate the decision is final under Romanian law.
Wiz Khalifa is currently residing in the United States, and it remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will pursue extradition. No confirmation has been made regarding whether the sentence will be enforced.
Romania has strict anti-drug legislation, prohibiting cannabis for both recreational and medical purposes.
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