Rapper's lyrics help lead to mail theft arrest in Venice: 'Imma show you what swiping will get you'
VENICE, Fla. - Hunter Hudson, known as HunnidK, is a rapper whose lyrics gave investigators in Venice a lot to go on.
"Imma show you what swiping will get you," rapped Hudson in one of his videos.
According to court documents, he stole mail, altered checks and rapped about it in his videos, which are part of a Venice police investigation that began in May 2023.
Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
"He drove around throughout the whole region of the United States and he would steal mail," said Captain Eric Hill with the Venice Police Department.
Investigators said a resident mailed three checks from the Venice Post Office, then discovered the checks had been altered to far greater amounts.
Police received additional calls, including one from the Venice Yacht Club, where they say seven out of 35 business checks had been altered, with more than $75,000 taken.
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The checks were deposited at various banks in Georgia and Alabama.
"The bank in question actually had very good surveillance and was able to get his tag number on his car, which gave us a name to go with the face we had on the camera," said Captain Hill.
Captain Hill also said Hudson advertised for coconspirators through social media, with those who joined in taking half the cut.
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"He would wash those checks or use the account information on those checks to then make fraudulent deposits into other individuals' accounts who would agree to be part of this scam with them," said Captain Hill.
Six additional individuals have been charged in the investigation.
"It’s really sad because a lot of our citizens here in the community are on fixed incomes," said Captain Hill.
Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
Hudson, who's from Montgomery, Alabama, was booked into the Sarasota County Jail on Thursday.
"Great level of cooperation with our out of state, as well as federal, partners to help bring this individual to justice. This is going to, I think, have some widespread impact," said Captain Hill.
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