Exhibit A — No. 4:21-cr-00362 (Dkt. 23-1, N.D. Cal.)

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Filed February 17, 2022 as Exhibit A to Docket 23 in Case No. 4:21-cr-00362 in the Northern District of California, this is a letter from Christina Burden to Judge Gonzales Rogers before sentencing. Burden writes of jail time in Waco, Texas, of counseling and volunteer work, and of taking ownership of the crime. The letter says that over the course of 2020 Burden passed money 'I fraudulently received' to others, including $263,455.15 to a former partner and $285,457.10 to a former ministry leader, and that a car bought for another person was seized by the FBI. It closes with a request for mercy.

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Case 4:21-cr-00362-YGR Document 23-1 Filed 02/17/22 Page1of5

EXHIBIT A

Case 4:21-cr-00362-YGR Document 23-1 Filed 02/17/22 Page 2of5

Christina Burden
2401 Aldrich Street #242 Austin, Texas 78723

Dear Honorable Judge Gonzales Rogers,

My name is Christina Burden, a soon-to-be convicted felon who takes
ownership for her actions. I will appear before you not as an honorable
member of society, but a disgraced, ashamed, and remorseful person. I
failed myself, my family, friends, others, and businesses when I broke the
law. I am continually tormented with shame, embarrassment and
humiliation because of bad decisions that I made.

This past year has been a year of awakening and deep soul-searching that I
have never, ever done before. When I was arrested by ICE, the time spent
in Waco, Texas county jail and, after my release I have been consistently
thinking; when and why I lost my values, my integrity, and myself on my
journey through life. In order for me to understand why I lost my values and
start the process of striving to become a woman of integrity, honor, dignity,
someone who can help others, have healthy boundaries and limitations, and
be a person who is able to give back to our communities while honoring our
laws, I developed and have executed a strategy for the past year. That
strategy first began with me taking ownership of my actions, understanding
who I am, working through childhood traumas by seeking professional help
through counseling, healing emotionally, and giving back to businesses by
volunteering.

I grew up in a single parent home in a crime ridden and drug infested area
in Austin, TX. Because my mother was emotionally, mentally, financially,
and physically unstable, I had an unstable childhood and moved numerous
times, lived in mice infested apartments, often lacked electricity, heat, and
food and would at times go to school hungry, dirty and bad hygiene due to
my living situations.

I was rejected and abandoned by dad, rejected, bullied, and treated
negatively by my family, teachers, other students, and the church I had to
attend with my mom. I was so lonely and afraid. Furthermore, I tried talking
to my mother about my feelings, the rejections, the loneliness, and why
people, including my family and kids at school, did not like me. I wanted to

Case 4:21-cr-00362-YGR Document 23-1 Filed 02/17/22 Page 3of5

understand what was wrong with me and why. My mother's response was,
“you are not giving enough, get over it, and learn how to deal with it”. I
remember getting out of the hospital after having surgery for ovarian cyst,
and she dropped me off at my grandmother’s house because she had to help
the church. Ninety-five percent of my childhood outside of school was spent
at church, helping others, and being a caregiver to my great-grandmother,
grandfather and mother when she had severe asthma attacks.

In middle school, I remember asking my mother if she and I could go to
counseling, and she said, “African Americans do not go to counseling
because they (people who are not persons of color) do not know anything
about being an African American, and we do not tell anyone what goes on in
our house, our feelings, and get over it”. At that point, I accepted the
abandonment and rejections and focused on helping myself so that my mom
and I would not suffer and that my mother would be better emotionally and
psychologically. I grew up thinking that others rejecting, never having
enough, and being mean to me was the norm because I did not give
enough to the church.

Over the course of 2020, I used the money I fraudulently received to help
others and provided it to the following people:

Aisha Chiappetta: I gave my ex partner $263,455.15. That money was
given to her to provide enhancements to my businesses through sales and
consulting. Instead of helping me, she used the money on personal items for
herself; such as a luxury car (worth $90,000 which was listed in the arrest
documents), plastic surgery, and $120,000 on luxury items from Neiman
Marcus, Goyard, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, and Channel. I was not ina
romantic and physical relationship with Ms. Chiappetta at the time she spent
the money.

Pamela Harris-of Harris Twins Ministry, my former ministry leader: I gave
her $285,457.10 in good faith for her sister Paulette's funeral expenses, and
additional living expenses. Ms. Paulette's funeral expenses were excessive
because she weighed approximately 635 pounds. It wasn’t until the funeral
of Ms. Paulette Harris, that I realized their ministry was not legit because
they did not have a 501ic3 and the money Pamela received from me was
going directly to her personal bank account. I also learned they and their

Case 4:21-cr-00362-YGR Document 23-1 Filed 02/17/22 Page 4of5

ministry was a scam because they received multiple donations from others.
Pamela spent the money on Amazon purchases, excessive eating (almost
$9K with), and $16K on a luxury boat rental in Chicago, IL.

Self: I spent $113,378.75 on myself to apply for (TradeMark Rights, h Inc
File - third-party provider to be a registered agent and keep my business in
compliance, car payments, insurance).

Mother: I gave $180,000 to my mother, who used the funds to fix up her
house as my disabled elderly grandmother (85+) needed better living
conditions and a car that was reliable and suitable for a wheelchair.

Donations: I gave over $300K+ in donations through Blessing Box Co. to
various families and communities.

2020 Range Rover Sport
@ Purchased directly by my ex partner Aisha Chiappetta and was
registered to her name. The cost of the car was $90,000 and was
registered to her. The car was seized by the FBI and Aisha paid for the
car to be returned to her,
2020 Mercedes-Benz
@ Purchased directly by my mother Alesia Brown the cost of the car
was $38,0000 and was registered to her. She said that she acquired
an SUV for my grandmothers’ wheelchair since she is immobile. The
car has since been seized by the FBI.
2020 Nissan Altima
@ This was the only car that I was aware of that was being purchased for
$22,000 which I provided the cashiers check to Christi Tolbert for her
son to have transportation entering college. The car has since been
seized by the FBI.

What This Experience Has Taught Me:

This experience has taught me that regardless of my childhood, I cannot
blame anyone but myself for my actions. I also realized that I need
counseling, I have to love myself, and it is okay not to give and give, the
meaning of friendship and love, complete my education and trust no one.

Case 4:21-cr-00362-YGR Document 23-1 Filed 02/17/22 Page5of5

As you consider my sentence, I ask that you have mercy and know that I
have learned from this and that after my period in custody I will become a
valued member of society. I have recognized my issues and started the
healing process. It has taken almost a year to look at myself in a mirror
because of my actions, and I am truly sorry. I take full responsibility and
make no excuses.

Although I made poor choices in 2020, I have been able to regroup, I’ve
had my own apartment since being arrested in 2021, I work and volunteer
and have been living a responsible life. Instead of focusing on the pain from
my past and childhood and allowing it to cause me to go into a tailspin, Iam
focusing on the good I can continue to do in my community and in society.

I ask that you believe and know that I am committed to becoming that
woman of integrity, honor, dignity, helping others, and giving back to our
communities while honoring our laws.

Sincerely,
Christina Burden

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