Wiz Khalifa Sentenced to Nine Months in Romanian Jail Over Drug Possession Case

American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in a Romanian jail, more than a year after his arrest for illegal drug possession while performing in the country.

The 38-year-old artist, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was headlining the “Beach, Please!” festival in Costinesti, Romania, in July 2024 when authorities alleged he had more than 18 grams of cannabis in his possession and consumed some of it on stage.

On Thursday, December 18, the Constanta Court of Appeal handed down the final sentence after convicting Khalifa of “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption.” The ruling came after prosecutors challenged an earlier decision from April 2025, when a lower court had only fined the rapper 3,600 lei (around $830) for illegal possession.

In their written reasoning, the judges said the harsher sentence was meant to set an example, stating that Khalifa’s public actions increased the seriousness of the offence. The court noted that his behavior risked normalising illegal drug use, especially among young people, and described it as “ostentatious conduct” that amplified the social danger of the crime.

Following his arrest in July 2024, Khalifa addressed the controversy in a post on X (formerly Twitter), insisting he meant no disrespect to Romania.

“Last night’s show was amazing,” he wrote. “I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time.”

Khalifa is a U.S. citizen and does not live in Romania. As of now, it remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will pursue an extradition request to enforce the jail sentence.