Why Is Wiz Khalifa Wanted in Romania?
Wiz Khalifa might shrug off smoking a joint while performing on stage. The rapper might even see it as part of his brand, but Romanian authorities are not amused. Romania has added Wiz Khalifa to its wanted list after he failed to show up to serve a nine-month sentence imposed upon him after he smoked marijuana on stage at a music festival back in 2024. Here is everything we know so far, and what it could mean for his future performances.
The incident that started it all
While Romania just added Wiz Khalifa to its wanted list, the action stems from a 2024 incident at a music festival. In July 2024, Khalifa was performing at a well-attended music festival in Costinești. He jumped onstage at Beach, Please! Festival to perform some of his hits, all while smoking a marijuana cigarette.
After the event, Romanian authorities got involved, though the rapper was released immediately. Wiz Khalifa took to Twitter to address the issue, insisting that he didn’t mean to disrespect the country, and hadn’t realized that indulging while on stage would be a problem. He insisted he would be back, but without marijuana.
The authorities didn’t think the apology was enough. He was eventually charged with a crime, and a lower court ordered the rapper to pay an $830 fine. In December 2025, an appeals court reexamined the case, found the rapper guilty, and ordered him to serve nine months behind bars. Wiz Khalifa has been quietly appealing the decision as he worked far from Romania. According to USA Today, his most recent appeal was denied earlier this month. That denial prompted the government to add the rapper to its wanted list.
What does Romania’s search for Wiz Khalifa mean for his career?
Wiz Khalifa is effectively a fugitive, and the country does have a warrant for his arrest. That means if he chooses to enter Romania, the warrant will be enforced. Some fans assume he can just steer clear of Romania to avoid the problem, but Romania is part of the European Union. Because the nation is part of the European Union, the government could technically request international enforcement measures.
In short, Wiz Khalifa could be arrested and extradited to Romania to serve his sentence should he be apprehended in an EU nation. Right now, the rapper is touring North America alongside MGK. Still, he has plans to head abroad pretty soon. The rapper is expected in Italy on July 4. He is also expected to perform in Turkey, Poland, Norway, and Switzerland throughout the summer.
He’s been arrested before, though it’s never been this serious
This might be the first time Wiz Khalifa has found himself on a national wanted list, but his current issue in Romania is far from his first scrape with the law. His legal troubles have made headlines several times since he rose to fame two decades ago. All of his legal drama has centered around marijuana.
In November 2010, police raided his tour bus during a performance at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. The raid led to Khalifa being charged with a felony count of trafficking in marijuana, a felony count of maintaining or storing marijuana, and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Nine other people were arrested alongside him, though nothing significant came of the arrest.
Two years later, he received a citation for misdemeanor marijuana possession in Nashville and again in North Carolina a few months after that. In 2014, he was arrested at El Paso airport in Texas after TSA agents discovered a marijuana stash on his person.
