USDA Secretary turns Shawty Dred into a 'SNAP Fraudster' Halloween costume; congresswoman calls it despicable

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins used Halloween to troll an Atlanta rapper who hasn't had his day in court. On Oct.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins used Halloween to troll an Atlanta rapper who hasn't had his day in court. On Oct. 31 she posted a mock Spirit Halloween costume bag labeled "SNAP Fraudster" built around Shawty Dred (Mercedes Reshard New), showing him draped in chains and holding a burning dollar bill, with the caption "Some costumes come with a price tag. This one comes with a prison sentence... The tricks are over." The post passed 2.3 million views on X.

It came a day after the White House posted "Scooby-Doo and the Mystery of Fraudster Shawty Dred." Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) quote-posted Rollins: "Despicable. Disgusting. Not even hiding it," and said she wants Rollins to explain what motivated the graphic when she appears before the Agriculture Committee in January. Defenders online say it's fair to spotlight an accused fraudster who flexed cash on social media; critics call it racially charged.

New, 39, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta and arrested Oct. 13, accused of using stolen identities on 350-plus accounts to collect more than $4 million in SNAP benefits. He is presumed innocent and has not been convicted. TrapHop first reported the indictment Oct. 22.