About this episode
Najla was born in New York but grew up in North Carolina, where a turbulent and abusive childhood pushed her to survive by any means necessary. On her own at a young age, she turned to scams to fund her lifestyle and escape the chaos at home. What started as small hustles quickly grew into full-blown bank fraud that eventually landed her in federal prison. Najla’s story is one of pain, survival, and transformation — from a broken childhood to facing the harsh reality of prison life, and ultimately finding strength through redemption. Her journey exposes the dark truth behind white-collar crime, fraud, and the system that punishes survival. #LockedInWithIanBick #TrueCrime #WhiteCollarCrime #FederalPrison #FraudStory #BankFraud #RealStories #RedemptionStory Thank you to BLUECHEW & DAWS for sponsoring this episode: BlueChew: Visit https://bluechew.com/ and use promo code LOCKEDIN at checkout to get your first month of BlueChew & pay five bucks for shipping. DAWS: Go to http://www.daws.org/ to donate, adopt or send items from their wishlist. Connect with Najla: https://www.instagram.com/iamnajlawakeela?igsh=MXgxbnY5dDZrOXNkNg== Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Who Is Naja & What Her Story Is About 00:32 – Naja’s Early Life, Family Background & Childhood 02:54 – Growing Up: Abuse, Isolation, Moving & Instability 09:24 – Moments of Happiness & Early Independence 10:31 – Orlando Teen Years & Becoming a Teen Mom 13:12 – Struggling for Survival: Money Issues & Social Security 14:53 – Turning to Crime: First Scams, Fraud & Hustles 19:39 – How Check Fraud Works: Naja’s Early Schemes 21:54 – Escalation: Leveling Up Into Bigger Scams 26:14 – The $900,000 Fraud Scheme & Getting Caught 31:43 – Arrest, Federal Charges, Prison Time & Testifying 33:58 – Life in Federal Prison: Daily Reality, Hustles & Survival 38:19 – Prison Fights, Conflict & How She Survived 42:32 – Prison Mentality, Family Issues & Preparing for Release 47:08 – Getting Out: Recidivism, Relapse & Second Chances 51:42 – Her Final Prison Stint & Choosing to Change Her Life 56:39 – Starting Over: Homeless Shelter, Struggle & Cosmetology School 01:01:26 – Moving to Atlanta & Fully Rebuilding Her Life 01:03:46 – Overcoming a Criminal Record & Finding Opportunity 01:05:04 – Owning Her Past: Disclosure, Stigma & Testimony 01:09:03 – Reflections: Lessons, Growth & Advice to Her Younger Self 01:11:54 – Family Estrangement, Healing & Forgiveness 01:14:07 – Closing Thoughts & Final Message Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices