$4 million fraud scheme: Influencer had hundreds of fake SNAP accounts, prosecutors say

ATLANTA (Atlanta News First/Gray News) — An Atlanta social media influencer is accused of stealing millions of dollars in SNAP benefits, prosecutors said Wednesday.Mercedes Reshard New, who goes by “Shawty Dred,” was indicted on federal charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.Fake accounts and fraudulent cardsBetween January 2020 and July 2026, New allegedly controlled more than 350 fake SNAP accounts, which were created using stolen identities.Prosecutors said New, 39, allegedly had SNAP EBT cards mailed to various metro Atlanta addresses and applied for his limited liability company, Shawty Dred LLC, to become an authorized SNAP retailer.Between April 2024 and November 2025, New allegedly used fraudulently obtained EBT cards and a point-of-sale device associated with Shawty Dred LLC to steal more than $660,000 in SNAP benefits.Store autho