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Houston 'Brick Lady' Guilty of GoFundMe Theft, Receives Probation, 90 Days in Jail, Social-Media Ban

Surveillance video plus bank records undermined her brick-attack claim to jurors.

Overview

  • A 2023 GoFundMe tied to her viral claim raised more than $42,000, and the court ordered $42,302 in restitution.
  • Judge Dan Simons imposed 10 years of probation with conditions including 90 days in jail, inpatient substance-abuse treatment, and a 10-year social-media ban.
  • Osman was taken into custody, and a $50,000 appeal bond was set that would pause probation terms during an appeal that could take more than a year.
  • Investigators testified that surveillance footage showed Osman slapping Olan Douglas before he struck back with a plastic water bottle, contradicting her account of a brick attack by an Uber driver.
  • Prosecutors said bank records showed the donations were spent on trips to Jamaica and New York, restaurants, spas, and rideshares.