A federal grand jury indicted Democratic Charlotte, North Carolina, Councilwoman Tiawana Brown Wednesday for allegedly fraudulently obtaining over $124,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, according to an indictment.
The indictment, originally obtained by WSOC-TV, alleged Brown spent around $15,000 of the relief funds on a lavish birthday party for herself.
Brown allegedly used her nonprofit’s bank account, which had PPP loan funds, according to documents. Beauty After The Bars is focused on prison reform, according to its website.
The 2021 party allegedly featured extravagant trappings, including a horse-drawn carriage, a balloon arch, a wall of roses and a rented throne, according to the indictment.
Brown says this all took place before she was elected to city council.
She disputes the $124,000 the feds say it all amounted to. She says the application was done by a third party.@wsoctv
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) May 22, 2025
The 2021 party predated Brown’s 2023 election to Charlotte’s City Council. (RELATED: Government Funneled Unprecedented Amount Of Money To Criminal Gangs Through COVID Relief, Oversight Report Finds)
Brown and her two daughters, Tijema Brown and Antionette Rouse, were all indicted for their alleged scheme to defraud the Small Business Association’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, according to court documents. They allegedly submitted fraudulent loan applications.
“The false documentation generally included fake and fraudulent tax forms that lied about gross income and number of employees, among other misrepresentations,” the indictment read.
Altogether the defendants allegedly submitted at least 15 loan applications to the SBA through EIDL or through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) act, the indictment said.
Brown previously served four years in federal prison for other fraud charges, according to her nonprofit’s website.
Each defendant faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud, according to the indictment.
Brown, who told reporters at a press conference she paid the money back, stated she will not be resigning from the City Council, according to WSOC’s Hunter Sáenz.
When asked if she used the money for a lavish birthday party, she doesn’t answer and says she “paid back the money back”
When asked about what Justice looks like she says:
“If I paid it back… then why are we here.”@wsoctv
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) May 22, 2025
If convicted, Brown and her daughters face up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
“I want to be clear: these allegations concern actions that took place before I took office,” Brown stated in a news release, according to WSOC. “I have always been transparent about my past and have worked tirelessly to serve my community with integrity and dedication.”
The Daily Caller reached out to Brown but has not heard back at the time of publication.
Read the full article here
