Singer and entrepreneur Akon was briefly detained in metro Atlanta last week after police connected his Tesla Cybertruck to an active warrant issued by another department, authorities confirmed.
The 52-year-old Senegalese American musician, whose real name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, was taken into custody on November 7 by the Chamblee Police Department and booked into the DeKalb County Jail shortly after 12:30 p.m., according to jail records. He was released approximately six hours later.
An incident report indicates that officers were alerted around 11 a.m. by a Flock camera system about a white 2024 Tesla Cybertruck wanted by the Roswell Police Department. Responding officers located the vehicle parked outside Tint World on Chamblee Dunwoody Road and spotted a man nearby who matched the description of the vehicle’s registered owner.
Police confirmed the man’s identity as Thiam through his driver’s license photo. Upon being informed of the active warrant, Akon reportedly remained calm and acknowledged he was aware of it.
Officers placed him in handcuffs, conducted a standard search for weapons, and detained him while confirming the warrant with Roswell authorities. No weapons or illegal items were found.
Following verification of the warrant, Akon was officially arrested and processed. The details of the original warrant have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The Grammy-nominated artist has not issued any public comment regarding the arrest.
Despite the incident, he continues his international tour, having recently performed in Delhi on November 9. Upcoming performances include Bengaluru on November 14, Mumbai on November 16, and Las Vegas on January 3, 2026.
