Aimee Harris, a Florida woman, was sentenced to one month in prison for stealing the diary of President Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, and selling it to a conservative group. Harris also received three months of home confinement. She apologized in court for enabling Ashley Biden’s personal writings to be made public, admitting to receiving $20,000 for the stolen items. Harris pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, stating that she stole the diary, a digital storage card, books, clothing, luggage, and more in the hopes of making money and damaging Ms. Biden’s father.
Harris, who cited being a survivor of long-term domestic abuse and sexual trauma, said she missed sentencing dates due to caring for her two children. The prosecutor requested a prison sentence for Harris due to her repeated failure to appear in court. The judge called her actions “despicable and serious,” as she exploited the president’s daughter for profit and to impact the presidential election. Harris also attempted to sell Ashley Biden’s belongings to then-President Trump’s 2020 campaign, further highlighting her intentions to damage the Biden family.
Despite requests from the defense attorney, Anthony Cecutti, for Harris not to receive prison time, the judge described her actions as abusive and exploitative. Harris was accused of abusing and straining the court system by making promises with no intention of keeping them. She was also unable to secure full-time employment and carries the shame and stigma of her actions. Harris is expected to report to a Florida federal prison in July to serve her one-month sentence and three months of home confinement.
Project Veritas, the conservative group that purchased the stolen diary, is known for conducting hidden-camera stings that have embarrassed news outlets, labor organizations, and Democratic politicians. The judge emphasized that Harris’s actions were driven by a desire to make money and harm the president’s family, rather than her personal struggles. In court, Harris expressed regret for enabling private information to be made public and disrupting Ashley Biden’s life.
The case highlighted Harris’s attempts to profit from stolen personal items belonging to Ashley Biden, including her diary, which was taken from a Delray Beach, Florida, home where Biden’s belongings were believed to be stored. Harris’s co-defendant, Robert Kurlander, was mentioned in relation to attempts to sell Ashley Biden’s belongings to President Trump’s 2020 campaign. The judge and prosecutor both agreed that Harris’s actions were serious and that she needed to be held accountable for her exploitation of the president’s daughter for personal gain. The sentencing served as a warning to others who may attempt to profit from similar crimes.
