Senegalese-American Musician Akon Arrested in Georgia Over Outstanding Warrant for Suspended License

The internationally renowned Senegalese-American singer and entrepreneur, Akon (real name Aliaune Thiam), was briefly arrested in Georgia last Friday after authorities were alerted to an outstanding warrant connected to a ticket for driving with a suspended license. The 52-year-old artist was taken into custody after his distinctive vehicle triggered a police alert.

Dependable NG reports that the arrest occurred after the Chamblee Police Department received a wanted person alert for a white Tesla Cybertruck registered to the musician. Police records indicate that the Chamblee officers responded to a business when a camera system flagged the vehicle as being linked to an outstanding bench warrant issued by the Roswell Police Department.

The underlying legal issue stems from an earlier incident on September 10, where Roswell police officers encountered Akon stranded with his disabled Cybertruck on a busy street. The Roswell police report disclosed that a license check at the time confirmed the singer was driving with a license that had been suspended for failing to appear for a prior court hearing in January 2023. He was subsequently cited for driving without a valid license, and his vehicle was briefly impounded, though he was released from the scene after the citation.

The warrant leading to his latest arrest was issued because he failed to appear in court to address the September citation. Upon locating the vehicle and confirming Akon’s identity on Friday, Chamblee police detained the musician, who reportedly remained calm and cooperated with the officers, acknowledging he was aware of the warrant. He was first taken to the DeKalb County jail and later handed over to Roswell police, who booked him into another facility. Akon was eventually released on bail later the same day, having spent approximately six hours in custody.

A representative for the artist later clarified that the issue may have been a clerical error, stating that the fee for the suspended license “was paid but not properly entered into the system,” and expected the matter to be rectified in court in early December. The Senegalese star, who is also known for his philanthropic work in Africa, was reportedly on tour in India shortly after his brief detainment.