A Philadelphia woman who made headlines for a $25,000 elaborate prom send-off has been charged with Social Security benefits fraud.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia announced charges of wire fraud, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud Tuesday against 44-year-old Saudia Shuler.
Prosecutors say that Shuler applied for benefits, describing herself as disabled and unable to work, but continued working – including operating a restaurant called Country Cookin’ – costing the government close to $37,000.
Saudia Shuler (right), the mom who dropped $25,000 for her son’s 2017 prom, has been charged with wire fraud, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud
Prosecutors say that Shuler applied for benefits, describing herself as disabled and unable to work, but continued working – including operating a restaurant called Country Cookin’ – costing the government close to $37,000 (pictured with Lil Uzi Vert)
‘There’s evidence she defrauded the government and no matter who you are the government brings charges,’ Beth Leahy, Deputy Chief of Health Care Fraud, explained to ABC 6.
Leahy added that the woman claimed to be disabled as far back 2014. But she was found to have still operated her eatery.
She stated: ‘When asked about the quality of life she said that she couldn’t, rarely cook any meals and that her cousin cooked for her. In reality, Ms. Shuler was running a food take-out business for Country Cookin.”
This year, she threw a ‘Black Panther’-themed prom send-off with an actual panther for neighborhood kids
She said the party cost was in the six figures
Shuler could face a staggering 140 years with the maximum sentence, according to Fox 29. The period would include supervised released and full restitution of the money to the government.
Last year’s pre-prom party on in Philadelphia included a live Arabian camel
Her lawyer, Tariq El-Shabazz, asserted that the allegations weren’t true.
‘Ms. Shuler suffered from a stroke and a result of that she was in rehab she was unable to do anything for two-plus years around the same time she was allegedly perpetrating this particular fraud,’ he said.
Shuler threw a $25,000 Dubai-themed prom party for her son – Johnny Eden Jr. – last year.
The pre-prom party on June 2, 2017, in Philadelphia included a live Arabian camel, a rented Lamborghini, Range Rover and Rolls Royce, three tons of sand, and three dates all wearing custom designed gowns costing $1,500 each and Giuseppe Zanotti, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent shoes at $1,000 to $1,400 per pair.
Not to mention the three Styles By Chey custom-made outfits for the lucky teen.
At the time, the mother told the New York Post: ‘He struggled a lot when I was sick. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t go to the bathroom on my own. He had to go through all that and still go to school. And I said, “If I make it through this, I’m going to make his prom the best.”‘
This year, she threw a ‘Black Panther’-themed prom send-off with an actual panther for neighborhood kids. She said the party cost was in the six figures.
She even had a cake made in the shape of the Quran – her son’s religion
The lucky teen even had three dates and outfits to accompany him