Rapper Boosie Badazz sues after paying $600K for a Trump pardon that never materialized

Rapper Boosie Badazz has filed legal action against political operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, alleging they failed to secure a presidential pardon after he reportedly paid them $600,000.

According to a report by NOTUS, Boosie, whose legal name is Torence Hatch, claims the pair convinced him they had strong connections within President Donald Trump’s circle and could successfully obtain a pardon on his behalf. The agreement was reportedly reached last year.

Boosie alleges that on New Year’s Day, his lawyer was informed that Trump had already signed the pardon and that the White House was yet to announce it. However, the pardon never materialised. The lawsuit seeks to recover $300,000, with Boosie arguing that the agreement required half of the fee to be refunded if the pardon was not secured.

Responding to the allegations, Burkman denied that any refund clause existed, insisting the team had worked extensively on Boosie’s case. “Boosie has no reason to be unhappy. In 30 years of lobbying, I doubt we have ever done more work and harder work. The provision in the contract he is referencing was never agreed to at all.”

Burkman also claimed that Boosie’s arrest in Texas earlier this year on an alleged violent offence made obtaining a pardon significantly more difficult. “We tried very, very hard.”

The report further stated that a White House official denied Wohl and Burkman had any involvement in the presidential pardon process, saying the clemency team had never heard from them and suggesting their involvement would have negatively affected any application.

Although Boosie did not receive a presidential pardon, he was later sentenced to time served in his federal gun case. Reports say he has since submitted a separate pardon application directly to the White House. Wohl has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.