Akon was briefly arrested in Georgia this week after authorities discovered an outstanding bench warrant tied to a suspended driver’s license, but he’s already been released.
According to TMZ, the 51-year-old singer and entrepreneur, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam, was taken into custody on November 7. Booking records show Akon posed for a mugshot wearing a black hoodie.
Court documents reveal the arrest stemmed from a failure to appear for a suspended license violation, originally issued earlier this year.
Police say the situation dates back to September, when officers found a Tesla Cybertruck stranded in the middle of a Georgia roadway. Akon was reportedly behind the wheel and told officers the vehicle’s battery had died.
After arranging for the truck to be towed, officers ran his information and discovered his license had been suspended for a prior failure to appear dating back to January 2023. Akon was cited for driving with a suspended license and allowed to leave the scene. The officer also noted that an “illegal vape” was found in the vehicle’s center console and later submitted for destruction.
Two months later, authorities issued a bench warrant related to the incident, leading to Akon’s brief arrest this week. He was released shortly after being processed. A representative for Akon has not yet commented on the situation.
Despite the minor legal hiccup, Akon remains active in his business ventures, including his renewable energy initiatives across Africa and his crypto-based project Akon City, which he continues to promote as a futuristic smart city in Senegal.
