A Tennessee grandmother who spent six months in jail after facial recognition tech falsely linked her to a North Dakota bank fraud investigation now wants compensation for what happened. Angela Lipps is suing the City of Fargo and a Fargo Police Department detective for $10 million over the incident, which led to the loss of her home, car, and dog.
In July 2025, a team of US Marshals arrested 50-year-old Lipps in Tennessee at gunpoint while she was babysitting four young children. She was booked into the county jail in Tennessee as a fugitive from justice wanted in North Dakota.
WTF. They didn’t even use footage of the suspect to falsely ID the TN woman, they used the picture on a fake ID used by the suspect !?!?!?!! That’s so mind-bogglingly stupid. How was this charge not thrown out immediately?
The source of the facial recognition was a fake ID used by a female suspect who was captured on surveillance footage in incidents involving multiple Fargo-area banks, according to the complaint. Lipps did not look like the suspect captured on surveillance video, according to the complaint, which noted their difference in build, facial features and tattoos. Prior to arrest, Lipps had also never been to North Dakota, according to the complaint.
“grandma”
…what is with the articles going out of their way to label 50 yr old women like this is elderly stage of life meanwhile men of 80 are gossiped about like they have their whole life still ahead of them.
It alleges that Detective Lucas Heck proceeded with charges despite knowing that Lipps lived in Tennessee, had never visited North Dakota, did not match the physical description of the suspect captured on surveillance footage, and had no unexplained funds linking her to the thefts.
If proven true, this seems like a slam dunk win for the victim.
I wonder if this egregiousness would also expose Detective Heck to personal liability bypassing his qualified immunity so that he could be sued directly too.
I wonder if this egregiousness would also expose Detective Heck to personal liability bypassing his qualified immunity so that he could be sued directly too.
In the U.S.? That would mean the police would be accountable for their actions. Can’t have that.
$10 million isn’t enough.
Aggregious
“loss of her home, car” poor lady…
“and bog” Get the torches, men! We’re going hunting.
