Shamarri Tache Brooks. Courtesy of U.S. Department of Justice, Northern District of Georgia
ATLANTA – A Stone Mountain rapper who prosecutors say turned check fraud into a business — complete with tutorials teaching others how to do it — will spend six years in federal prison.
What we know:
Shamarri Tache Brooks, 34, also known as Juney Knotzz, was sentenced Aug. 27 after pleading guilty in May to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
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The ‘Sauce Book’
Federal prosecutors say that from at least January 2022 through November 2025, Brooks used social media to recruit people willing to let him deposit stolen checks into their bank accounts.
Brooks allegedly altered checks stolen from the mail to make those account holders appear to be the intended recipients. He then deposited them at…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.