In 2023, Roda Osman became a viral figure on social media after claiming she was attacked by a man who hit her in the head with a brick for refusing to give him her phone number. Her emotional video sparked outrage and sympathy online, with thousands of users rushing to donate to a GoFundMe campaign she created in the aftermath. That fundraiser ultimately brought in more than $42,000 in donations.
However, what began as a shocking story of gender-based violence soon unraveled into a case of deception. According to court records, Osman told police that she had been walking on September 3, 2023, when a stranger assaulted her without warning. But investigators later uncovered surveillance footage that painted a much different picture of what actually took place that day.
Authorities say the video showed Osman engaged in both a verbal and physical altercation with a man, during which she struck him in the face with an unknown object. The man responded by hitting her in the face: Not with a brick, but with what appeared to be a plastic water bottle. Prosecutors said Osman’s viral version of events left out those critical details and was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public…