American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been handed a nine-month jail sentence by a Romanian court for drug possession, following an incident at a music festival in the Eastern European country over a year ago. The rapper, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was stopped by Romanian authorities in July 2024 for allegedly smoking cannabis during a performance at the Beach, Please! Festival in Costinesti. Prosecutors revealed that Khalifa was found with over 18 grams of cannabis in his possession, some of which he reportedly consumed on stage.
The Constanta Court of Appeal issued the sentence after Khalifa was convicted of possession of illicit drugs for personal use. This decision is final, overturning a previous ruling by a lower court in Constanta County that imposed a fine of 3,600 lei (approximately $1,140 Cdn) on Khalifa for illegal drug possession. Prosecutors had appealed for a harsher penalty.
Romania enforces strict drug laws, with possession of cannabis for personal use being a criminal offense that can lead to imprisonment ranging from three months to two years, or a fine. It remains uncertain whether Romanian authorities will pursue an extradition request, given that Khalifa is a U.S. citizen and does not reside in Romania.
The 38-year-old rapper from Pittsburgh gained fame with his breakthrough mixtape, “Kush + Orange Juice.” During his performance in Romania last year, Khalifa was seen smoking a large, hand-rolled cigarette while performing his popular track “Young, Wild & Free.”
