On Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted Democratic Charlotte, North Carolina Councilwoman Tiawana Brown for allegedly fraudulently obtaining over $124,000 in COVID-19 Relief funds, and for subsequently spending around $15,000 of the relief funds on a lavish birthday party in 2021.
A birthday party that included a wall of roses, Louis Vuitton, a horse drawn carriage, and of course, a throne.
The allegations began after Brown hosted the lavish birthday party, and allegedly paid for the party herself using her nonprofit which contain the COVID-19 Relief funds.
Brown’s nonprofit, Beauty After the Bars, was created to help women who were formerly incarcerated turn their life around. Brown started her nonprofit after being arrested in her twenties on felony charges for fraud and serving a four-year sentence.
Brown let her nonprofit know what she was up to with their relief funds by posting pictures of her birthday party on the nonprofit’s Instagram.
Eventually, people caught on, and the investigation began. In an interview with local Channel 9, Brown was asked:
“The indictment says that you used those funds on a birthday party. Is that the case? Did you use the funds for that birthday party?”
“I paid it back,” Brown replied.
Brown and her daughters, who are involved in the case, were due to appear in court on Friday.