Business influencer Ashley Grayson has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme.
Grayson, once celebrated for her entrepreneurial advice, was exposed in court for attempting to pay $30,000 to have her perceived enemies eliminated.
The saga began in 2021 when Grayson’s online reputation crumbled amid allegations of scamming her followers.
TikToker Sharell Hodge accused Grayson of pocketing funds from business classes without delivering promised results, sparking a public feud.
The animosity grew as another business influencer criticized Grayson’s practices, adding fuel to the fire.
By 2022, Grayson escalated her retaliation efforts. She reportedly lured a couple from Memphis to Dallas under the guise of discussing “business.”
During their meeting, Grayson proposed a shocking deal: $20,000 per target to kill Hodge, her online rival, and an ex-boyfriend. For immediate action against Hodge, Grayson promised an additional $5,000.
The couple agreed but instead alerted authorities. They provided police with a recording of Grayson’s instructions and tricked her into sending them $10,000 by staging a fake video suggesting a failed hit attempt.
Grayson and her husband were arrested shortly thereafter, facing RICO and murder-for-hire charges. While her husband was acquitted, Grayson was convicted and sentenced to a decade behind bars without parole.
“This was a 21st-century crime where online feuds and senseless rivalries bled into the real world,” acting U.S. Attorney Fondren said. “The defendant tried to hire someone to murder a woman over things that happened exclusively on the internet.”
For many, the case is a reminder of the dangers of online disputes turning into real-world violence.
