'BirdLady' arrested for allegedly scamming Kansas City Chiefs football fans before game
ATLANTA - A woman known as the "Falcons BirdLady" was arrested over the weekend after allegedly scamming a group of fans out of $14,000.
According to an incident report filed with the Atlanta Police Department, Tamira Southwood, a Kansas City Chiefs fan, told Atlanta police that she and her tailgate group wanted a catered tailgate party with live music, games, and gifts before the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Chiefs on Sept. 22.
Another member of the group suggested that the party be catered by Carolyn Freeman, who operates a nonprofit called BirdLady Cares Inc.
Carolyn "BirdLady" Freeman welcomes people to the Super Bowl LIII on February 1, 2019 in Atlanta, GA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) (Photo by Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
The group agreed and raised $14,000 for the event.
A deposit was reportedly paid directly to Freeman on Aug. 1 to secure food, drinks, a chef, live entertainment, tents, chairs, prizes, and gifts.
The remaining balance was sent to the person who recommended Freeman, who then forwarded it to Freeman on Sept. 20. The tailgate party was scheduled for Sept. 22.
Carolyn Freeman (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)
On the day of the event, Freeman reportedly contacted the group at 10:30 a.m., stating that she had been in the hospital the previous day but would still be able to provide her services at noon.
However, the party never occurred, and Southwood filed a fraud report with Atlanta police on Oct. 7.
Freeman was then arrested by Fulton County Marshals and Georgia State University Police on an active arrest warrant from the Atlanta Police Department for theft by deception.
Freeman reportedly earned the nickname "BirdLady" in 1998 when Falcons legends Jamal "Dirty Bird" Anderson and Jesse "The Hammer" Tuggle gave her the name after she caught their attention as a passionate fan.
She allegedly became a Falcons superfan after witnessing a Falcon recover from a career-ending injury, which inspired her to start attending games as a form of physical therapy after being bedridden for 12 years.
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Freeman has been featured by several media outlets over the years, including HBO Max's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, NFL Network, CBS Sports, FOX, Sports Illustrated, and Good Morning America. She also appeared in an NFL and Apple Super Bowl commercial promoting Rihanna's halftime show.
She is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 5.