Practically two dozen folks say they had been swindled out of hundreds of {dollars} by a girl who promised she might provide massive “hardship grants” to assist them in instances of disaster.
Based on WSB-TV, 23 folks from seven states solicited the assistance of Natasha Hodge, a tax preparer and enterprise proprietor in DeKalb County, Georgia.
One lady needed Hodge’s assist so she might pay for her son’s most cancers remedies.
“When my son received sick, I began studying quite a lot of issues, weren’t lined,” Mary Hoyle stated to WSB.
One other lady stated that her accidents from a critical automotive accident left her unable to work, placing her in a monetary bind.
“I used to be hurting for cash. I didn’t have any cash coming in besides my Social Safety. And I wanted the assistance. I used to be dwelling off my bank cards,” stated Arlene Ingram. “I used to be alleged to get $250,000.”
The victims recalled Hodge’s course of for awarding the so-called grants. First, Hodge instructed them they need to pay her a processing price via a cost app. Then, she promised to finish grant purposes on their behalf.
She assured that every of her purchasers would get extra grant cash for each processing price she obtained and for each individual they really helpful.
“You had been paying a processing price for her to fill out the grants for you. As a result of she knew the verbiage to get the grants to come back via,” Hoyle stated.
The cash by no means got here, however the excuses had been lots, in line with the victims.
Hodge despatched a number of texts to her purchasers, promising that the payouts had been on the way in which.
In different texts, she insulted and criticized them.
“BBL and hair and garments is all they need,” Hodge wrote in a single textual content.
In one other message, she wrote: “I’ve a workforce of attorneys it’s solely the broke folks speaking (expletive).”
Greater than a yr after Hoyle sought Hodge’s assist, her son died.
“You bought these folks’s cash, you gave these folks hope the place you had no plan or doing something to assist any of us,” Hoyle stated.
Some victims reported they paid Hodge upwards of $10,000 and had been promised $5.6 million in return.
“I might have paid off my bank cards. I might assist my grandkids,” Ingram stated.
Hodge reportedly operated below the Black Coalition Basis, however no such nonprofit below that identify is listed as a 501(c)3 with the IRS. Nevertheless, she shared that she’s nonetheless providing mortgage and grant alternatives below a “new group” she’s main.
“I’m damage. I’m damage. However my essential factor is she’s nonetheless doing it,” Ingram stated.
The FBI said that they had been made conscious of the allegations, however haven’t confirmed whether or not an investigation has been launched.
