West Fargo Man Creates GoFundMe for Tennessee Woman Jailed After Facial Recognition Error

Angela Lipps spent over 5 months in jail after being misidentified as a suspect in a Fargo bank fraud case.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 11:32pm

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A West Fargo man has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help a Tennessee woman named Angela Lipps, who spent over 5 months in jail after being wrongly identified as a suspect in a Fargo bank fraud case through faulty facial recognition software. Lipps was arrested at gunpoint while babysitting and held without bail for 108 days in a Tennessee jail before being transferred to North Dakota, where the charges were eventually dismissed on Christmas Eve after her attorney proved she was in Tennessee at the time of the alleged crimes.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the accuracy and reliability of facial recognition technology, especially when used by law enforcement to make arrests. It also raises questions about due process and the potential for wrongful incarceration when such technology is misused.

The details

Angela Lipps, a 50-year-old woman from Elizabethton, Tennessee, was arrested at gunpoint on July 14, 2025 while babysitting four children. Authorities claimed that facial recognition software had matched her to surveillance footage from a bank fraud case in Fargo, North Dakota. Lipps was then held in a Tennessee county jail for 108 days without bail before being transferred to North Dakota. Her attorney was eventually able to pull bank records proving Lipps was in Tennessee at the time of the alleged crimes, and the charges were dismissed on Christmas Eve.

  • Lipps was arrested on July 14, 2025.
  • Lipps was held in a Tennessee jail for 108 days without bail.
  • Lipps was then transferred to North Dakota.
  • The charges against Lipps were dismissed on Christmas Eve.

The players

Angela Lipps

A 50-year-old woman from Elizabethton, Tennessee who was wrongly arrested and jailed for over 5 months due to a facial recognition error.

West Fargo man

An unidentified resident of West Fargo, North Dakota who set up a GoFundMe campaign to help Angela Lipps.

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What they’re saying

“I was arrested at gunpoint while babysitting four children. I spent over 100 days in jail for a crime I didn't commit.”

— Angela Lipps

What’s next

The GoFundMe campaign set up by the West Fargo man is still ongoing to help cover Lipps' legal fees and other expenses from her wrongful incarceration.

The takeaway

This case underscores the need for greater scrutiny and oversight of facial recognition technology, especially when used by law enforcement, to prevent wrongful arrests and incarceration of innocent people. It also highlights the importance of due process and the presumption of innocence in the criminal justice system.