Angela Stanton, who was arrested in 2004 for participating in a stolen car ring she says was masterminded by Phaedra Parks, feels vindicated after Phaedra's husband Apollo Nida was arrested for bank fraud and identity theft...
Angela Stanton tells Sandra Rose,
In 2012, I released my personal memoir, Lies of a Real Housewife: Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil. In the book, I detailed the struggles I faced as a young woman drawn to the temptations of crime and the false glamour it affords. I alone am responsible for the mistakes I made as a young woman. Yet, I have felt a certain sense of anger toward the people who used me during that period of my life. Certain individuals found me at a time when I was vulnerable and searching for friendship, and used those traits to lure me into doing their bidding.
I read with sadness the news that Phaedra Parks’ husband, Apollo Nida, was arrested for alleged schemes that are remarkably similar to those that lured me years ago. I was troubled to learn that the alleged crimes involved the use of a vulnerable woman to carry out the schemes. The story is all too familiar to me. I sincerely hope that Ms. Parks has not been part of his alleged crimes. I hope that she, like I, learned from her mistakes.
Although tragic, the news of Apollo’s arrest has been vindicating for me. Since I published my book, Phaedra Parks has used her wealth and influence in an attempt to silence me. She filed lawsuits against my publisher, and threatened them with years of expensive litigation if they did not cease publication of my book. As a result, I lost nearly all the royalties I was owed. Ms. Parks used her influence in the media to discredit my story and smear my name, casting me as a delusional liar on the pages of popular blogs. After going to prison and losing everything, my story was all I had left, and she took that from me.
At the advice of my attorney, I have remained silent for some time, choosing to fight out battle in a court of law, and not in the media. I remain confident that I will prevail in court and recover the damage that was done to me. However, in light of the recent news, I have decided to speak out once more. I want to share my story with young people who find themselves drawn to crime and false glamour. I want to caution young people that the wealthy, glamorous lifestyle they see on their television screens is not all it appears to be. It is often built on a lie, and it is often butyl on the backs of victims and exploited people.
