Boosie Badazz is taking legal action against far-right political operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman after a high-stakes $600,000 deal to lobby for a presidential pardon from Donald Trump fell apart.
According to reports, the rapper, whose real name is Torence Hatch, hired JM Burkman & Associates in September 2025. The firm aggressively pitched its connections in Trump’s orbit, with the contract signed on Sept. 30. Boosie paid the full amount upfront, with the agreement reportedly including a clause for a $300,000 refund if a pardon wasn’t secured by Jan. 31, 2026.
On New Year’s Day, Boosie’s lawyer was allegedly told the pardon had been signed and was awaiting announcement. That never happened. A White House aide later confirmed no application from the firm had been received, per multiple reports including a detailed NOTUS investigation published Monday (July 13).
Boosie ultimately received a lenient sentence on his federal felon-in-possession-of-a-firearm charge in January 2026 — time served plus supervised release — but the conviction remains on his record without the benefit of a pardon.
The Baton Rouge artist has been outspoken about the situation on X, accusing Wohl and Burkman of misleading him about their influence and the progress of the effort. He is now seeking the $300,000 refund through arbitration with the American Arbitration Association.
Representatives for Boosie claim the operatives exaggerated their connections, name-dropping figures including Laura Loomer, Mike Cernovich, Jack Posobiec, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Reps. Nancy Mace and Andy Biggs. Many of those individuals or their offices have denied involvement.
Wohl and Burkman have disputed the refund demand, arguing they performed significant work on the case and that the firm is facing financial difficulties due to prior legal issues. Their history includes guilty pleas related to an illegal 2020 robocall scheme targeting Black voters, which resulted in multimillion-dollar fines.
The contract has drawn scrutiny for being poorly drafted, with experts noting the unusually short timeline and refund guarantee as red flags in the opaque world of pardon lobbying.
This dispute highlights the growing “shadow pardon economy” around Trump’s second term, where informal lobbyists with claimed White House access charge hefty fees to high-profile clients seeking clemency outside traditional channels. Boosie had previously attempted to connect with Trump’s clemency team through Alice Marie Johnson but turned to the firm when that avenue stalled.
The arbitration remains ongoing as of Tuesday (July 14). The story has drawn widespread coverage across music and entertainment outlets, underscoring the risks entertainers face when navigating politically charged legal matters.
