Former Charlotte City Council member Tiawana Brown is arguing in court documents that she has already been punished ahead of her federal sentencing for a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, according to court records reported by WBTV.
Federal Fraud Charges and Guilty Plea
Brown pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, according to WBTV. Federal prosecutors charged her with falsely obtaining COVID-era business loans for personal expenses. Court documents state that Brown used $15,000 of the funds to pay for a birthday party for herself. When she was initially indicted in May 2025, she faced two wire fraud charges.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Brown and her family conspired to execute a scheme targeting the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Authorities state the family fraudulently obtained at least $124,165 in pandemic relief funds for purported businesses. Court records show Brown filed false information on pandemic loan applications regarding a clothing business she started in late 2020, receiving more than $45,000 in small-business loans that were never spent on the business.
Involvement of Family Members
Brown’s family members were also implicated in the federal loan scheme. According to court documents filed in March 2026 by WBTV, her daughter Tijema Brown pleaded guilty to related charges. Federal prosecutors stated that Tijema Brown received more than $51,666 in fraud proceeds from Small Business Administration and PPP lenders, and was accused of helping her mother submit a false application that yielded $20,833 in fraud proceeds.
An additional daughter, Antoinette Rouse, was charged with wire fraud in the same case, though court records did not indicate whether Rouse had accepted a plea agreement, according to WBTV reporting.
Political Career and Background
Tiawana Brown was elected to the Charlotte City Council in 2023, becoming the first former felon elected to the Charlotte City Council. She previously served four years in federal prison following a 1994 felony fraud conviction. During her tenure on the council, she advocated for incarceration reform, served on various boards and councils, and founded the nonprofit Beauty After the Bars.
Despite public calls to resign after her May 2025 indictment, Brown refused to step down and served the remainder of her term representing District 3 until December 2025, after losing her bid for re-election.
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