Key Takeaways
- Rapper Boosie Badazz has filed an arbitration case against lobbyists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman.
- He demands a refund of $300,000 after paying $600,000 for a pardon that never materialized.
- The clemency office reportedly had no record of the request from the pair.
Rapper Boosie Badazz has taken legal action against lobbyists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman over a failed effort to secure a presidential pardon. According to reports, Badazz paid $600,000 for this service but received no results.
The case was filed in March by attorneys representing the rapper, Torence Hatch, who are seeking a refund of half the payment under their retainer contract with JM Burkman & Associates. The report cites a provision that required the return of $300,000 if a pardon wasn't secured.
Badazz was facing sentencing on gun possession charges when he hired Wohl and Burkman to seek a pardon from President Donald Trump. Despite their claims of having 'Trump on speed dial,' the clemency office had no record of any request from Wohl or Burkman, according to a White House official quoted in the report.
In January 2023, Badazz was sentenced by a federal judge to three years of supervised release instead of facing prison time. However, he faced new charges in May when he allegedly assaulted a nightclub bouncer in Houston, arguing that it was 'basically a money grab.'
The case against the Louisiana rapper was initially set for trial last summer but ended with a plea deal. Badazz accepted this deal because he was 'tired of fighting,' as reported by NOTUS.
Notably, Boosie is not alone in his quest for a pardon. NBA YoungBoy secured one on weapons and drug convictions in May 2025, while Lil Wayne received a full pardon from Trump just before leaving office in 2021.
Wohl and Burkman have denied signing the deal that led to the lawsuit and are seeking to dismiss the case. Legal documents released by NOTUS indicate their stance on the matter.
Both parties involved — Boosie Badazz’s legal team and JM Burkman & Associates — declined to comment further, leaving the outcome of this arbitration case uncertain.
