Tracii Hutsona

Tracii Show Hutsona
Born:	California
Charges:	Wire fraud (2023); Wire fraud, Identity theft, Tax evasion (2008)
Sentence:	51 months federal prison (reduced to 42 months); 6 years federal prison (2008)
Facility:	FCI Phoenix (Arizona)
Status:	Released (December 2024)

Tracii Show Hutsona is an American entrepreneur and convicted felon known for founding the restaurant "Breakfast Bitch" in Phoenix, Arizona. Hutsona has been convicted of federal fraud twice: first in 2008 for a scheme involving identity theft and tax evasion, and again in 2023 for embezzling over $1 million from actress Joumana Kidd, the ex-wife of NBA star Jason Kidd, while working as her personal assistant.

Federal prosecutors labeled her a "serial con artist" and "serial fraudster." Despite her criminal history, Hutsona built a successful restaurant brand and has become a case study in prison preparation and early release strategies.

First Federal Conviction (2008)

In 2008, Hutsona was convicted in California of aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and tax evasion. She was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison and ordered to pay $484,439.79 in restitution.

The details of this first conviction would later become significant when prosecutors argued for enhanced sentencing in her subsequent case, citing her history as evidence that she had not been rehabilitated by her first incarceration.

Employment with Joumana Kidd

After her release from her first federal sentence, Hutsona reinvented herself as a social media influencer and founder of a lifestyle brand. In 2015, she was hired as a personal assistant by Joumana Kidd, a television personality who had recently divorced NBA star Jason Kidd and relocated to California.

According to court documents and testimony featured on CNBC's "American Greed," Joumana Kidd was initially enamored with Hutsona, who presented herself as a polished, attractive professional who knew "how to walk the walk, talk the talk."

Julie Schwartz, a private investigator who worked on the case, noted: "Tracii presents as a wonderful person. She's attractive. She knows how to walk the walk, talk the talk. If Joumana did a little research, she may have seen Tracii's past."

Embezzlement Scheme

Between 2015 and 2019, while serving as Joumana Kidd's personal assistant, Hutsona systematically embezzled over $1 million from her employer. Using her access to Kidd's sensitive financial information, Hutsona:

• Made unauthorized purchases and transfers
• Stole money from the children's college funds
• Used Kidd's accounts to fund her own luxury lifestyle
• Created unauthorized access to financial accounts

"This wasn't just opening up a credit card in someone else's name," explained Schwartz. "She stole money from the kids' college funds."

Breakfast Bitch Restaurant

Despite the ongoing investigation, Hutsona launched "Breakfast Bitch," a provocatively named breakfast restaurant, in downtown Phoenix's Roosevelt Row neighborhood in November 2020. The restaurant opened inside the Cambria Hotel on Portland Street and quickly became a popular spot known for its unique branding and breakfast offerings.

The restaurant later moved to a location on 3rd and Roosevelt streets and expanded with a connected sports bar called "4th Quarter." Hutsona's husband, Derrell Hutsona, was listed as the principal and manager for Breakfast Bitch on official documents and held the restaurant's liquor license.

A San Diego location also operated but later closed.

Federal Indictment and Prosecution

Arrest

On February 17, 2021, Hutsona was arrested in Arizona by the United States Secret Service and New York Police Department outside her restaurant on Portland Street. She was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the Southern District of New York.

Guilty Plea

In July 2022, Hutsona pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, admitting she stole more than $1 million from Joumana Kidd. As part of the plea, the aggravated identity theft charge was addressed without requiring a separate guilty plea.

Sentencing Arguments

Ahead of sentencing, Hutsona's defense asked for leniency, arguing that she employed more than 100 people at her restaurants and that a lengthy prison sentence could jeopardize the businesses. Fourteen people wrote letters to the judge on Hutsona's behalf, including friends, family members, and restaurant colleagues. In her own letter to the judge, Hutsona expressed "remorse" for what happened with Joumana Kidd and described her restaurants as her "redemption."

The U.S. Attorney's Office strongly opposed leniency, labeling Hutsona a "serial fraudster" and emphasizing her prior federal conviction. In a February 21, 2023 letter to Judge Jesse M. Furman, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams wrote: "The defendant is a serial identity thief and fraudster, with a criminal history dating back almost 30 years and involving multiyear periods of incarceration and repeated violations while under court supervision."

"Not long after serving a lengthy sentence for a previous federal conviction, Tracii Show Hutsona betrayed her employer's trust by misusing her employer's financial information to fund her own luxury lifestyle for years," Williams stated. "Her desire to live the high life at the expense of her victim has placed her back where she began—facing another substantial federal sentence."

Sentence

On February 28, 2023, Judge Furman sentenced Hutsona to 51 months (4 years and 3 months) in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release—well above the 33 to 41 months prosecutors had sought. She was also ordered to pay $1,148,759.28 in restitution to her victim.

"I am very sorry to Ms. Kidd for violating the trust," Hutsona said in court before sentencing.

Prison Experience

Early Surrender

Hutsona was originally scheduled to report to prison on April 13, 2023, but was ordered to surrender early on March 20, 2023, after prosecutors alleged that she violated conditions of her release by posting messages on the internet intended to harass her victim, including financial account information belonging to Kidd and her family members.

"Since her sentencing less than two weeks ago, the defendant has repeatedly violated conditions of her release by posting publicly available messages on the Internet that are intended to harass the victim and include financial account information of the victim and the victim's family members," Williams wrote in a March 13, 2023 letter to the court.

Incarceration at FCI Phoenix

Hutsona served her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Phoenix, Arizona, remaining relatively close to her family and business interests. Before surrendering, she gave an interview to 12News, telling them: "I'll be back bitches! Hopefully stronger than ever."

Prison Programming and Sentence Reduction

Hutsona became a case study in effective prison preparation and programming. Working with White Collar Advice, a prison consulting firm, she developed a comprehensive release plan before surrendering. During her incarceration, she:

• Joined programs and enrolled in classes immediately upon arrival
• Began teaching creative writing, life skills, and release planning courses
• Wrote a blog post every day from inside prison, which her daughter posted online
• Participated in Angel Tree, a program for children of incarcerated parents
• Presented her release plan to her case manager during her first team meeting

In March 2024, a federal judge granted Hutsona's request for a reduced sentence, citing a change in sentencing guidelines that was amended in 2023 and her good behavior in prison. Her sentence was reduced from 51 months to 42 months.

The U.S. Attorney's Office opposed the reduction, again calling Hutsona a "serial fraudster."

Release and Return

Hutsona was released from federal custody in December 2024 and returned to managing Breakfast Bitch. "I'm just grateful for life lessons," she said upon her release. "I'm grateful to be back."

Upon her return, she found her employees had maintained the restaurant during her absence. "I think now with her back I've seen a huge difference," said manager Riona Rugova, who started while Hutsona was in prison.

When asked about regrets, Hutsona responded: "Of course I have regrets. If I could go back in time and change some of the decisions that I've made, I would. Now, I'd like to have no regrets moving forward."

Terminology

• Wire Fraud: Federal crime involving the use of electronic communications in furtherance of a scheme to defraud; carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

• Serial Fraudster: Term used by prosecutors to describe individuals with multiple fraud convictions; triggers enhanced sentencing considerations.

• Restitution: Court-ordered payment to compensate victims for their financial losses; Hutsona was ordered to pay over $1.1 million.

• Sentence Reduction: Decrease in prison term granted by a judge based on factors such as changed sentencing guidelines or exemplary behavior during incarceration.