Houston black Muslim activist accused of GoFundMe hoax showed off travel, weaves and designer clothes

A black female Muslim activist who went viral online for making claims that she had been assaulted by a man with a brick in Houston has been accused of raising thousands in a GoFundMe scam. On her TikTok profile, she shows off designer clothes and weaves. 

Roda Osman, 33, was charged with theft by deception after she raised over $42,000 with a fraudulent GoFundMe page online after claiming she was hit by a man with a brick while walking on Schumacher Lane in Houston, Texas. 

After the alleged scam took place, she has been posting videos to TikTok of her going on vacations to Jamaica and showing off designer clothes and weaves.

source: https://www.tiktok.com/@rho.reports8

The since-deleted GoFundMe page stated, "My good friend Roda was viciously attacked with a brick by a man she refused to give her number. She was surrounded by onlookers who stood by and did nothing to help her - not even calling an ambulance. The video is now viral all over Twitter, IG, and TikTok."  

"Roda is a single mother and student. She is a beautiful person who is always there for others," the GoFundMe page goes on. "Because of this vicious attack she will have to manage hospital bills, therapy, and time away from work, school and childcare while she heals mentally and physically. Unfortunately, no one stepped in to help her that night - it would mean so much if we could step up and help her as she heals."  

The GoFundMe linked to a video posted to Instagram, in which Osman said a man hit her in the head with a brick and the other men "just watch[ed]" the event happen. She appears to have a large contusion on the side of her face in the video. She said the reason for the supposed assault was because she wouldn't give him her phone number.   

In a video uploaded to her TikTok for her trip to Jamaica, she says, "Four months ago, when this incident happened, I was afraid to check my mailbox," Osman said. "I didn't think that I could ever go out by myself." 

"Here I am on a solo trip, that I decided five days ago that I was gonna go on and I'm here and I feel protected," Osmon commented. "I wish that for all black women across the diaspora because - black women - we created this world!" 

In another video, after Houston Police had been investigating the alleged scam, Osman made an announcement with the caption, "Help me hold Houston police department accountable." After suspicions grew of the alleged fraud had grown, she said the police would not respond or update her about her claims after  

"They want to let all gendered oppressed people know, that if you ever speak out, you will be punished and you will be punished badly," Osman said about others online who were calling out the allegedly fraudulent GoFundMe page. "I have reported a couple police officers... you have the responsibility to lock people up who assault people." 

Osman went on to claim that she turned a confession video of the supposed man who hit her in the head with a brick to the police and that her followers should hold law enforcement accountable.  

Houston Police received responded on September 3 to an aggravated assault incident, in which they met Osman and her female friend. Officers reported that Osman was hostile, irate, and intoxicated, according to KPRC. 

Osman claimed that as she walked on Schumacher Lane, an unknown man threw a brick at her head when she refused to give her phone number. Osman also claimed that she ordered an Uber and believed the brick-throwing man to be the Uber driver, adding that when she got in the car with him, he tried to kidnap her. She also alleged that the suspect was involved in human trafficking. 

The friend told police that she went out with Osman to several places for drinks, and Osman reportedly called her male friends to pick them up. The friend said she heard Osman yell from the backseat as they drove, "Ouch, why you hit me." 

The friend said off the record that she did not believe Osman was hit with a brick. 

Osman gave a statement to police on September 19, telling a detective over the phone that after they left the club, she called an Uber. Osman got inside a dark-colored sedan that had pulled up, thinking it was her Uber. It was at this point, Osman said, that she was hit with the brick. 

Osman later changed her story, stating that she was assaulted at the Liquid Lounge Club.  

Houston Police detectives canvassed the area where the alleged assault took place on September 30, and came across surveillance cameras. 

The footage reportedly showed Osman, her friend, and Douglas leaving TikTalk Garden lounge together and walking over toward a white Maserati parked on the side of the business. 

Osman was seen dancing on Douglas, who leaned against the car, while her friend was talking to another man. The four of them reportedly got inside the Maserati, with Osman and Douglas going into the back seat. Douglas was reportedly seen emerging from the vehicle a few minutes later as well as Osman’s friend. 

Charging documents stated that Osman and Douglas were in an argument in the back seat and Douglas swung what appeared to be a plastic water bottle, hitting Osman in the face. 

It was later learned by Houston police that Osman had conducted a similar scam in 2020 from a tip that they received from a TikTok user who saw Osman's video, which helped to confirm her story was fraudulent in an investigation. The previous GoFundMe stated, "A young Black Muslim single mother was viciously assaulted by private security in Minneapolis, sustaining multiple facial contusions, a black eye, and injuries to her leg and back." 

"She needs an estimated 5,000 dollars to pay for medical bills, legal fees, a new phone and more," the previous page pleaded.  

Osman is a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin where she has interests in "Black feminist theory, ethnography, urban social movements, Black diasporic studies, decolonial studies, cultural studies, race and gender studies." She has also been working on a book called, "Be a Mountain: A Cultural Reflection Between One Kitchen Table." 

She has prior criminal charges in the Virgin Islands, Minneapolis, and from several counties in Texas and Minnesota, according to a report from Click 2 Houston.