DOJ issues head-scratching statement after trans-identifying man convicted in COVID fraud case

President Donald Trump's Department of Justice issued a confusing press release after a Louisiana man who pretends to be a woman pled guilty in a COVID fraud case.

On Thursday, Brandon Jarrow, 33, pled guilty to theft of government funds and making false statements, the press release said.

According to the DOJ, the conviction stems from two separate incidents involving COVID-related funds designated to assist small businesses. In June 2020, Jarrow filed a false application for a loan from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans program that resulted in a "theft" of $95,000 from the government. Then in February 2021, Jarrow made "false statements" to an approved lender about a "sham business," resulting in a $20,833 Paycheck Protection Program loan.

Jarrow now faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13.

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The press release also described the defendant as a "New Orleans Woman" who sometimes goes by the name Brandi Jarrow. The press release even uses a female pronoun in reference to Jarrow, though Jarrow's legal name is apparently still Brandon and a quick scroll through Brandi Jarrow's Facebook photos reveals that Jarrow looked decidedly more masculine in his early 20s.

On various posts on the Facebook account, Jarrow claimed to be "transgender," a "trans woman," and a New Orleans "queen."

The gender confusion in the DOJ press release about Jarrow's conviction is particularly notable now that President Trump has issued an executive order demanding that the federal government adhere to fixed biological definitions of sex and gender.

Jarrow even starred in a March 2021 PBS documentary entitled "A Fine Girl," which described Jarrow as a "trans woman of color" who opened an "inclusive luxury salon." The "Fine Girl" episode purported to be "a joyful, optimistic portrait of what's possible when we include and uplift trans people as essential contributors to our community." According to the PBS website, video of "A Fine Girl" expired in April 2024.

The gender confusion in the DOJ press release about Jarrow's conviction is particularly notable now that President Trump has issued an executive order demanding that the federal government adhere to fixed definitions of sex and gender that are directly tied to biological reality.

"'Women' or 'woman' and 'girls' or 'girl' shall mean adult and juvenile human females, respectively," said the EO issued on Inauguration Day. "'Men' or 'man' and 'boys' or 'boy' shall mean adult and juvenile human males, respectively."

Those definitions "shall govern all Executive interpretation of and application of Federal law and administration policy," the EO claimed.

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Shane Jones, the public information officer for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

In addition to federal law enforcement, Jarrow also appears to be a familiar face to local cops. In November, the New Orleans Police Department issued a "be on the lookout" request for Jarrow, whom the department characterized as a "Black Female." Police claimed Jarrow was suspected in two separate identity theft cases that occurred a week apart in September.

"In both cases the victims reported their cellphones and wallets were stolen. Through investigation, detectives positively identified Jarrow as the subject who used the victim's information to make online charges at businesses registered to Jarrow," the BOLO request stated.

H/T: The Post Millennial

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