USDA Shares Photo of Man Accused of $4 Million SNAP Fraud

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins posted a photo on X on Saturday featuring a Black man standing before stacks of U.S. currency. The post included the headline SNAP FRAUDSTER and referenced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The image showed the man holding what appeared to be a burning bill against a backdrop of fake Spirit Halloween costume packaging. The caption read, Some costumes come with a price tag. This one comes with a prison sentence.

The man in the photograph is Mercedes Reshard New, a social media personality known as Shawty Dred. Federal prosecutors said New controlled more than 350 fraudulent SNAP accounts between January 2020 and July 2026. He allegedly used his company, Shawty Dred LLC, to become an authorized SNAP retailer. Prosecutors said he used EBT debit cards to extract about $4 million from the accounts. The funds were used to support an extravagant lifestyle, including private jet flights and luxury vehicles.

New was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 7. The indictment included dozens of counts of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. It also included one count of SNAP fraud and one count of illegal transactions with access devices. He was arrested on October 13 and remains in federal custody. According to Fulton County jail records, New has prior arrests for identity theft, insurance fraud, financial transaction card fraud, forgery, and simple assault.

Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta Marlo Graham said in a news release that New allegedly used the cash to bankroll a life of luxury. She noted that instead of feeding families in need, the money supported a lavish existence. Federal prosecutors stated that New's Instagram account, which has more than two million followers, featured posts depicting private jets, Rolls-Royce vehicles, and large amounts of cash.

The timing of the social media posts occurred days before the midterm elections. The administration has intensified its focus on immigration enforcement and fraud in recent weeks. This effort aims to show voters that the government is saving taxpayer money. Affordability, driven by rising healthcare costs and other economic factors, is a primary concern for many voters this cycle. The White House also posted an image on X on Thursday showing a pumpkin carved with a sombrero design. That post included the text Spooky szn is here.

Critics have called the posts inflammatory rhetoric. The administration's online accounts have been accused of using provocative imagery to influence voters. This follows a similar episode just over a year ago during a government shutdown. At that time, the White House circulated a deepfake video of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a fake mustache and sombrero. Jeffries described the meme as bigoted. Vice President JD Vance promised the sombrero memes would stop when Democrats agreed to end the shutdown.

Federal authorities have also taken other punitive steps linked to fraud allegations in states with Democratic leaders. California and Minnesota governors accused the federal government of targeting their states for political reasons. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, is also facing scrutiny. Federal agents searched her Washington, D.C., home earlier this month. Authorities are investigating potential fraud in her family's immigration paperwork.

The source image for Rollins' post appears to be from an Instagram post by Shawty Dred dated September 2025. Rollins was nominated by President Trump to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in November 2024. Neither the NAACP, the White House, nor Rollins responded to emails seeking comment on the posts. Joseph Austin, the federal defender listed in court records for New, did not return a phone message.