Atlanta Man Pleads Guilty in Mail Theft, Check Fraud Scheme

ATLANTA — An Atlanta man has pleaded guilty to federal charges tied to a large-scale check fraud scheme involving stolen mail, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Georgia.

Shamarri Tache Brooks, 33, also known as “Juney Knotzz,” pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors said Brooks carried out the scheme from at least January 2022 through November 2025 by stealing checks from the mail, altering them and depositing them into bank accounts recruited through social media.

According to investigators, Brooks used platforms to recruit individuals with existing bank accounts, then altered stolen checks to list those individuals as payees. He deposited the checks at ATMs across the Atlanta area, often wearing masks bearing the phrase “No Free Sauce.”

Authorities said Brooks also promoted and sold fraud tutorials online, including a collection referred to as the “Sauce Book,” which provided instructions on committing financial crimes. He also sold images of stolen checks, known as “slips,” as part of the operation.

When Brooks was arrested earlier this year, investigators recovered more than 600 stolen checks from his residence.

“Brooks used his music and social media accounts to promote fraud as a lifestyle rather than a scourge,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

Federal officials said the case highlights the risks posed by financial crimes that target everyday individuals and institutions.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from local and federal partners.

Brooks faces sentencing at a later date. Federal sentencing guidelines will be considered by the court, though the final sentence has not yet been determined.