Farm Secretary Posts 'SNAP Fraudster' Image Days Before Midterms

Washington, D.C., is seeing a spike in social media posts from federal agencies that critics are calling inflammatory. The posts appeared just days before the midterm elections. They feature images that tie food assistance fraud to a specific demographic.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins shared a photo on the platform X on Saturday. The image shows a Black man standing in front of stacks of U.S. bills. The caption reads "SNAP FRAUDSTER." The man holds up a burning bill. Rollins added a line about the cost of the fake Spirit Halloween costume, noting it comes with a prison sentence.

The photo appears to be from a September 2025 Instagram post by a user named Shawty Dred. That user is Mercedes Reshard New. The Department of Justice identified New as a social media personality. Federal prosecutors say New controlled more than 350 fraudulent SNAP accounts. The accounts used stolen identities between January 2020 and July 2026. New allegedly used his company, Shawty Dred LLC, to become an authorized SNAP retailer. He used EBT debit cards to withdraw about 4 million dollars.

The White House posted a separate image on X on Thursday. It shows a pumpkin carved to look like a sombrero. The text says "Spooky szn is here." This post aligns with the administration's recent push to show aggressive enforcement of immigration laws. It also highlights efforts to fight fraud to save taxpayer money. Affordability is a top concern for voters right now due to rising healthcare costs.

This is not the first time the White House has used visual media to make political points. More than a year ago, during a government shutdown, the White House shared a deepfake video of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. In the video, Jeffries wore a fake mustache and a hat. The administration used the meme to accuse Democrats of acting on behalf of illegal immigrants. Jeffries called the meme intolerant. The video looped in the White House press room. Vice President JD Vance said the hat memes would stop once Democrats ended the shutdown.

Federal authorities have intensified their rhetoric against immigration and fraud in recent weeks. They have also targeted Representative Ilhan Omar. Federal agents searched her home in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. Officials are investigating possible fraud in her family's immigration documents. Omar is a U.S. citizen who was born in Somalia.

Prosecutors also took action in states with Democratic governors. California and Minnesota governors said the federal government is targeting their states for political reasons. A federal grand jury indicted New on October 7. The charges include mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, SNAP fraud, and illegal transactions with access devices. New was arrested on October 13. He remains in federal custody.

Fulton County jail records show New has been arrested multiple times before. The charges include identity theft, insurance fraud, financial transaction card fraud, forgery, and simple battery. His Instagram account has more than two million followers. The account shows him on private jets and posing with Rolls-Royce cars. FBI Special Agent Marlo Graham in Atlanta said New used the cash to fund a luxurious lifestyle instead of helping needy families. The NAACP, the White House, and Rollins did not respond to requests for comment. New's lawyer, Joseph Austin, did not return a phone message.