(StraightNews.org) – An activist who raised $42,000 after saying she was assaulted has been charged with felony theft by deception. Roda Osman claimed that a man attacked her with a brick after she resisted his romantic advances, and despite several people witnessing the incident, nobody came to her aid.
Osman posted a video on Instagram alleging the assault took place in Houston, Texas, while several black men stood by and did nothing. It later emerged that Houston police responded to the incident and found that Ms. Osman was drunk and hostile and told them that an Uber driver attacked her and even tried to kidnap her.
The following day, a GoFundMe account was set up, ostensibly by a friend named Kiara Davis – it quickly raised thousands of dollars to help Osman with medical bills and therapy.
In January, however, Houston police said video footage failed to verify Osman’s claims. Keith Houston, Cybercrimes Chief Prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said surveillance film showed Osman getting into a car with her alleged assailant and then exiting soon afterward and engaging in a confrontation. He said Osman slapped the man, who then hit her back but had a bottle of water in his hand, which is likely what left a mark on the woman’s face.
Mr. Houston also stated that police in Minnesota contacted Houston police to tell them that Osman was involved in a similar case there in 2020. “She had done the exact same thing in Minnesota,” Houston said, adding that she raised $5,000 online at that time.
Osman has since told the media outlet Business Insider that Houston police brought charges against her in revenge for a complaint she made about one of its officers and the handling of her case.
GoFundMe confirmed to Business Insider that Osman did not receive the $42,000, which was refunded to donors. The company said it exercised “zero tolerance” for scams and would cooperate with law enforcement on this case.
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