It’s not rare that people pay celebrities to make appearances and put on shows. But when the person paying is the president of a third world country, and the money being paid is taken from poverty alleviation funds, it’s a different story entirely. And rumor has it that this is what’s just happened in Nigeria before Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s last performance there.

Reportedly, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan gave the power couple that is Beyonce and Jay-Z $1 million to perform in Nigeria. The money was allegedly taken from funds meant to help the millions of people that live in poverty throughout the nation. That’s according to a letter that has been signed by Bayelsa officials, which states that the purported amount was given to fund the ThisDay Music Festival held in Lagos.

The existence of such a letter has not yet been confirmed, nor has the total amount given to the stars, whether it was the full amount or a portion. It is believed that the total cost of the festival, which was millions, was paid for by the Nigerian government from funds meant to help its poverty-stricken citizens.

It’s also thought that, while the Jonathan didn’t hand over the funds directly, he does have a close partnership with a man named Obaigbena, promoter of the ThisDay festival; and that the promoter was given free access to government funds.

The Beyonce and Jay-Z incident sadly isn’t the first one that has cast this country in a shady light. Kim Kardashian was reportedly also paid, out of the same type of funds, to make a short appearance in Lagos with Nigerian R&B artist Dare Art-Alade.

It’s not believed that any of the artists involved were aware of where the funds that were paid to them originated from.