Atlanta rapper and social media personality Mercedes Reshard New, known online as Shawty Dred, has been indicted on 63 federal counts over an alleged scheme to divert millions of dollars in US food assistance benefits. The 39-year-old is accused of using stolen identities to control hundreds of accounts while posting images of private jets, luxury cars and stacks of cash.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on 7 October, charging New with 46 counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud and one count of illegal transactions involving access devices. SNAP is a federal programme that helps low-income households buy food.