The Trump administration caught up with an infamous fraudster who burned money in photos for social media but who was apparently growing rich off stolen taxpayer funds.
As I previously reported, the Trump administration‘s interagency crackdown on fraud included the identification of about $42 million in fraud from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That is enough money to feed 220,000 Americans for a month, and it is probably not even the full picture. The feds are still digging. Among the psychos who was gaming the corrupt system for his own profit is Mercedes New, also known as Shawty Dred, reportedly an influencer, rapper, porn creator, and fraudster.
.@WHFraudTF uncovers $42M in food stamp thefts — including lewd rapper who literally set cash on fire https://t.co/q19153vBcC
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 21, 2026
The New York Post explained that Atlanta-based New has openly flaunted his luxurious and expensive lifestyle online, with photos of Rolls Royces, mansions, jewelry, and private jets. He also liked to share content showing him counting stacks of money, and also of him burning money. Somehow, that seems the perfect illustration of exactly what is wrong with America’s welfare system right now.
Starting in January of 2020 and going up through July of this year, New created over 350 fake accounts for SNAP, using identities that he stole from the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family & Children Services. After thus obtaining hundreds of SNAP EBT cards under false pretenses, and having them mailed to various addresses around Atlanta, he either sold them to other people for cash or used them at Shawty Dred LLC. That is his own company, which he somehow got approved as a SNAP retailer. But apparently, many or all of the SNAP users were just him under different aliases.
Related: Scott Turner Slams Skid Row, Bronx’s ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ as Failed Homeless Models
The New York Post continued:
While running what turned out to be a $4.6 million fraud scheme, the social media sensation would take to Instagram or TikTok to taunt his viewers as “broke motherf–kers” while he spent the alleged ill-gotten gains on vacations, clothes and jewelry.
Prosecutors earlier this month indicted New on 46 counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of food stamp fraud, making him one of more than 40 defendants charged by federal prosecutors in recent weeks for defrauding SNAP and related programs.
Vice President JD Vance called New out by name this week. “SNAP exists to help hungry children eat; it does not exist to provide private jets to a guy like Shawty Dred,” Vance said. “I understand he called almost 9,000 times and would take benefits that were spread across 350 accounts, collect them to himself, and then enrich himself in the process.” Vance added that the rapper's incredibly obvious trail of evidence on Instagram (with a two million follower account) helped them identify the fraud.
New did have a previous brush with the law in 2022, when police arrested him for using his apartment balcony as a toilet while buck naked. He first told police he was "famous" as an excuse after multiple neighbors complained about the gross displays. Later, New pled guilty to a misdemeanor and received 50 hours of community service. Police arrested New again in 2025 for selling EBT cards to people outside a Walmart, but apparently that didn't leave him in jail. New once expressed the desire to open a strip club and achieve "world domination" and "$100 million in my bank account." Fortunately, his arrogance and greed are finally in check and taxpayers won't be burning cash by funding him anymore.
Editor’s Note: Every single day, here at PJ Media, especially ahead of the midterm election, we stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve. Help us continue to tell the truth about our great nation and its successes. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.