Councilwoman faces federal fraud charges, asks “Why would I resign?”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Thursday, Charlotte City Councilwoman Tiawana Brown told news reporters, “The allegations made against me in the indictment are serious. I take them very seriously.” A federal indictment released on Thursday says Brown and her daughters Tijema Brown and Antoinette Rouse fraudulently obtained more than $124,000 from COVID pandemic relief funds between April 2020 and September 2021. The indictment says the women used the money for personal expenses, including $15,000 on a birthday party for Tiawana. She says, “I will not be tried in the media. I will have my day in court where the truth belongs.”

Videos posted on Brown’s social media from 2021 shows her lavish party at the Gantt Center in uptown Charlotte, which featured a horse-drawn carriage, professional videography, photography and more.

While talking with reporters Thursday, Brown would not answer questions about how she used the money. She says a third party filed the paperwork for a PPP loan, and that when she found out there was an issue, she paid it back. She says, “I have one loan (for) $20,833…when the application was processed, I paid it back. No one had to tell me to pay it back.”

The suspected PPP fraud happened before voters elected Brown to represent District 3 in 2023. She says she plans to continue working for the people of Charlotte. “Why would I resign? I haven’t been convicted of anything. I was elected for the people. By the people. The people would have to remove me out of the seat,” she says.

Brown and her daughters are scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday. They each face 2 charges. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison for each of those charges.