Full Breakdown
Boosie Badazz Seeks Refund After Failed Trump Pardon Deal
7/19/2026, 9:00:21 AM
The Disputed Pardon Deal
Rapper Boosie Badazz – legal name Torrence Hatch – paid $600,000 in September 2025 to JM Burkman & Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm run by Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, to obtain a presidential pardon for a 2023 federal gun conviction. The retainer included a clause that would return half of the fee if no pardon were secured by the deadline in early 2026. No pardon was issued, and Boosie has filed a March 25 arbitration claim and a $10 million federal lawsuit demanding a $300,000 refund and damages.
Background & Context
In May 2023 Boosie was arrested in San Diego after police observed him displaying a loaded handgun during an Instagram Live video shoot, violating a prior felony-disqualification from firearm possession. He later pleaded guilty, receiving three years of supervised release, 300 hours of community service and a $50,000 fine. The rapper’s attempt to avoid further incarceration led him to seek a clemency “economy” that has flourished under former President Donald Trump, who issued pardons at a rate eight times higher than his successor.
Key Figures & Groups
- Boosie Badazz (Torrence Hatch) – Louisiana rapper pursuing a pardon.
- Jacob Wohl – Political operative who pleaded guilty in 2022 to telecommunications fraud tied to an illegal robocall campaign targeting Black voters; later fined $1.5 million by New York Attorney General Leticia James.
- Jack Burkman – Co-founder of JM Burkman & Associates, sharing Wohl’s fraud convictions.
- JM Burkman & Associates – Lobbying firm that asserts no refund provision existed.
- White House – Stated it had no involvement with the lobbyists and warned that using them could harm a pardon request.
- Conservative figures named by Boosie – Rep. Mike Johnson (LA), Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ), Rep. Nancy Mace (SC), Laura Loomer, Mike Cernovich, Jack Posobiec, Erika Kirk; all publicly denied any contact with the lobbyists.
Data & Statistics
- Payment: $600,000 total; Refund sought: $300,000.
- Legal penalties for lobbyists: $1.5 million fine for the 2020 robocall scheme.
- Trump pardon rate: eight times that of President Joe Biden (Rolling Stone).
Official Statements & Responses
Boosie’s Baton Rogue-based attorney Jill Craft emphasized that the contract “requires a $300,000 refund if the pardon was not obtained by the deadline.” JM Burkman & Associates countered, stating, “In 25 years, we cannot think of a single client for whom our firm has done more work than Boosie,” and asserted that “no provision to return half the fee was ever actually agreed to.” A White House official told “The Breakfast Club” host Loren Lorosa that the administration “does not support the work of Wohl or Burkman” and warned that “anyone seeking clemency that involve these men will actively harm their chances.” The same official added, “The president finds it detestable that anyone would even attempt to profit off pardons.”
Criticism & Opposition
Media reports highlight Wohl and Burkman’s history of deceptive schemes, including the 2020 robocall operation targeting Black voters and earlier attempts to fabricate sexual-harassment allegations against public figures. Conservative personalities Laura Loomer and Mike Cernovich responded on X that they “have no idea who you are” and “never recommended a pardon for you,” underscoring the disconnect between Boosie’s expectations and the lobbyists’ alleged connections. Legal analysts note that refund clauses tied to unsuccessful pardon attempts are rare.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the contract deadline: some cite January 1 2026, others January 31 2026, with one article describing the 2025 date as a typographical error. Boosie claims the White House initially indicated a pardon was “in hand,” yet the administration later confirmed no pardon application had been received. The existence of a binding refund provision remains disputed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “DONT START LYING NOW I GAVE U 3 MONTHS TO SEND MY MONEY BACK,” — Boosie Badazz, X post
- “In 25 years, we cannot think of a single client for whom our firm has done more work than Boosie,” — JM Burkman & Associates statement
- “You can’t pay for a pardon … not sure who told you that’s how it works.” — Laura Loomer, X reply
- “A White House official made it clear in a statement to me that they DO NOT support the work of Wohl or Burkman (the men boosie sued) and allege that anyone seeking clemency that involve these men will actively harm their chances,” — White House official, quoted by Loren Lorosa
- “The president finds it detestable that anyone would even attempt to profit off pardons,” — White House official, The Breakfast Club
What’s Next
The arbitration proceeding and the $10 million lawsuit remain pending in federal court. No further hearings or settlement dates have been announced.
