Who is Mercedes Reshard New? Influencer with extravagant lifestyle, known online as 'Shawty Dred', arrested over $4m fraud involving hundreds of SNAP accounts

An influencer in Georgia has been arrested in connection with an alleged $4 million fraud involving hundreds of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) accounts. The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said in a press release that Mercedes Reshard New, who goes by "Shawty Dred" on social media, was arrested on federal fraud charges on October 13.

The allegations against New

New is accused of controlling over 350 fake SNAP accounts which had been created using stolen identities between January 2020 and July 2026, according to the press release.


Prosecutors have alleged that New, aged 39, had SNAP EBT debit cards mailed to addresses across Atlanta, and had his own company enrolled as an authorized SNAP retailer. He is accused of using those cards and a point-of-sale device linked to his company to steal over $660,000 in SNAP benefits between April and November of 2025.

Around two weeks after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revoked New’s store authorization in November 2025, local police officers arrested him following allegations that he was selling SNAP benefit cards at a metro Atlanta store, as per the release.

At that time, officers had seized 14 EBT cards from New that had been issued to other people. He then allegedly had replacement cards mailed to his store and other addresses in the Atlanta area.

'Money meant to feed vulnerable'

"New allegedly stole over $4 million meant for poor families who need help putting food on the table," US Attorney Theodore S Hertzberg said in a statement.

"My office is fully committed to rooting out abuses of the SNAP program and holding accountable criminal con artists and scammers who appallingly seek to profit by stealing taxpayer money meant to feed vulnerable Americans," the attorney's statement added.

New garnered a large online following by showing an extravagant lifestyle through posts on on TikTok and Instagram, where he has millions of followers. His posts featured private jets, expensive cars, and stacks of cash, and New denounced others as "broke motherf****s", according to prosecutors.

What are the charges?

New's arrest came after an Oct. 7 indictment on 46 counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of SNAP fraud, and one count of illegal transactions with access devices, according to prosecutors.

In an order remanding New into custody until trial, Magistrate Judge J Elizabeth McBath said there was a "serious risk that the defendant will flee" if released, according to a report by the People magazine. An initial pre-trial conference in the case is scheduled for November 10.