Photo: Roda Osman, screenshot, Fox News
The woman who gained notoriety as the “Brick Lady” for her viral claim of a brick attack is now facing felony charges related to an alleged GoFundMe scam. Roda Osman, a 33-year-old first-generation Somali-American doctoral student at the University of Texas, raised over $40,000 by allegedly fabricating a story of a brick assault outside a Houston club, say authorities.
As of Jan. 19, she had failed to turn herself in, NewsOne reported.
The incident, which initially sparked sympathy and online outrage, took a dramatic turn when Houston police investigated Osman’s claims. According to a criminal complaint filed in Harris County District Court, Osman faces one count of theft by deception, a charge that carries up to 10 years in prison.
Osman’s tale unfolded on the night of Sept. 3 when she reported an aggravated assault, claiming that an unknown man threw a brick at her after she refused to give him her phone number. She further alleged an attempt at kidnapping, accusing the supposed attacker of human trafficking.
However, investigators discovered inconsistencies in Osman’s story through eyewitness accounts and security video footage. A friend who was present during the incident contradicted Osman’s claims, stating that she didn’t believe Osman was hit with a brick. The footage revealed a different narrative, showing Osman and the accused man engaged in an argument, with Osman herself wielding an unknown object and striking the man.
This isn’t the first time Osman has faced allegations of concocting a similar story. The affidavit states that in 2020, she raised money through a GoFundMe campaign for another phony assault claim, using the same narrative of a “Black man hitting her,” which investigators found to be baseless.
Osman defended her version of events to The Daily Beast, asserting that she was assaulted with a deadly weapon and criticizing the lack of empathy towards her. However, law enforcement officials contend that her changing stories, combined with the evidence, paint a different picture.
“They’re trying to act like there’s a quota on how many times you can be assaulted,” Osman told The Daily Beast. “It’s like you can only be assaulted once every five years. Yes, I was assaulted in 2020, and there’s proof of that… They’re saying, ‘Oh she got attacked in 2020, and now she says she got attacked again, so she must be lying.”
Police say Osman’s story doesn’t add up and is contradicted by evidence including security video. In response, Osman said, “A victim who gets hit over the head shouldn’t have to remember all the details.”
“Nobody seems to have any empathy for me,” she said. “I was assaulted, I was treated for a concussion, I am suffering panic attacks… All that should matter is that a man assaulted me with a deadly weapon.”
Photo: Roda Osman, screenshot, Fox News, https://www.fox26houston.com/news/brick-lady-charged-in-houston-for-alleged-false-claims
