Trump fraud task force uncovers $42M in food stamp thefts including lewd rapper who literally set cash on fire

WASHINGTON — A Trump administration fraud task force has uncovered nearly $42 million in food stamp funds meant for needy families that were instead stolen to support criminal activities as well as the lavish lifestyle of a rapper with multiple arrests — including for repeatedly exposing himself to pee off his apartment balcony.Vice President JD Vance and members of the Departments of Justice and Agriculture held a press conference in Cincinnati Wednesday highlighting the cases involving more than 40 defendants operating schemes that bilked the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and related programs.“Two-hundred twenty thousand Americans could’ve eaten for the entire month of October if it were not for this $42 million in fraud,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said.USDA Inspector General said the programs were raided “to line the pockets of fraudsters and bankroll other criminal activities like guns and drugs that make American communities less safe.”One of the fraudsters indicted this month amid the crackdown was Mercedes New, an Instagram influencer, rapper and apparent adult content creator in Atlanta who goes by the name Shawty Dred.New, who has more than 2 million followers and boasts about having more “Jewelry” and “Rolls-Royce’s than your favorite rapper,” was previously arrested in 2022 for urinating off his apartment balcony while completely naked.“I’m famous! I’m on TV, bruh,” New reportedly told cops as he was arrested four years ago, according to Channel 2 Action News.“Neighbors said it was so bad, they thought about using an umbrella when they walked along the sidewalk,” the outlet noted.Now, prosecutors have indicted him on more than 40 counts for food stamp fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft for pilfering more than $4 million in benefits by obtaining hundreds of fraudulent debit cards and making his own company, Shawty Dred LLC, a SNAP retailer between 2025 and 2026.Georgia police arrested New la...