Atlanta-area rapper Juney Knotzz has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for his role in a massive check fraud operation involving more than $6.5 million in stolen checks.
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Juney Knotzz, whose real name is Shamarri Tache Brooks, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Federal prosecutors say Brooks stole checks from the mail, altered them and recruited people through social media to provide bank accounts where the checks could be deposited.
Authorities also say Brooks took things a step further by promoting and selling step-by-step fraud tutorials online. He reportedly sold a collection of tutorials called the “Sauce Book,” which taught various methods of committing financial fraud, while also selling images of stolen checks.
The stolen checks had a combined face value of approximately $6.57 million, although prosecutors said many were recovered and there is no evidence Brooks successfully cashed the remainder.
Brooks was sentenced on August 27 to six years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
