Add Us On Google Add as a preferred source on Google

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An Atlanta social media influencer is accused of stealing millions of dollars in SNAP benefits, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Mercedes Reshard New, aka  Shawty Dred,  was indicted on federal charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Between January 2020 and July 2026, New allegedly controlled more than 350 fake SNAP accounts, which were created using stolen identities.

Mercedes Reshard New (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia)

Prosecutors said New allegedly had SNAP EBT debit 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 debit cards and  a point-of-sale device associated with Shawty Dred LLC  to steal more than $660,000 in SNAP benefits.

Fraudulent EBT cards (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia)

In November 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revoked New's store authorization. Around two weeks later, local police officers arrested New for allegedly selling SNAP benefits at a metro Atlanta store, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Officers reportedly seized 14 EBT debit cards from New, which had been issued to other people. New then allegedly had replacement cards mailed to his store address and other addresses in the Atlanta area.

Investigators said the scheme diverted $4.6 million in SNAP funds. The EBT debit cards were used to siphon around $4 million from the accounts.

Meanwhile, New flaunted private vets, fancy cars and stacks of cash to his millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram, as he denounced others as  broke motherf****s,  prosecutors said.

On Oct. 7, a federal grand jury indicted New, 39, on 46 counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of aggravated identity theft and one count each of SNAP fraud a
#atlantanewsfirst   #crimewatchatlanta