Source: US FBI
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Six defendants who were part of a conspiracy to sell stolen checks and bank login information have been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala and included the administrators of multiple scam Telegram channels, a former U.S. Postal employee who received bribes to steal checks from the mail, and a credit union employee who misappropriated customer account information. Among those sentenced this week were:
Joshua Kendarius Rogers, also known as “Lucky Luciano,” 24, of Irondale, who was an administrator of a Telegram channel called “The Lucky Shop,” which sold stolen checks and bank login information. Rogers was sentenced to 90 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to pay bribes, one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Rogers pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday.
Michael Christopher Rowser, also known as “Muney Mike,” 24, of McCalla, who abused his position as a U.S. Postal employee by taking bribes to steal checks that were sold on “The Lucky Shop” channel. Rowser was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to receive bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. In January 2025, a federal jury convicted Rowser of these charges.
Duane Wiley Smith, also known as “Dubskii,” 24, of Springville, who was an administrator of “The Lucky Shop” and similar channels called “Glass House Records” and “Glass House Records V2.” Smith was sentenced to 48 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In October 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to those charges.
Levar McGhee-Parrish, also known as “Ja Moracks,” 25, of Fultondale, who was an administrator of “The Lucky Shop” and a similar channel called “GRUBHUB.” McGhee-Parrish was sentenced to 40 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. In March 2025, McGhee-Parrish pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to court documents, “The Lucky Shop” operated as a criminal marketplace. Its primary administrator, Rogers, obtained stolen checks from Rowser and then post redacted copies of those checks on the channel to market them for sale. When customers of “The Lucky Shop” paid Rogers to purchase stolen checks, a portion of their profits would be kicked back to Rowser. In addition to stolen checks, Rogers also sold bank login information, which he obtained from a corrupt credit union employee.
Smith and McGhee-Parrish assisted Rogers with the administration of “The Lucky Shop,” but also had their own Telegram channels—for Smith, “Glass House Records” and “Glass House Records V2,” and for McGhee-Parrish, “GRUBHUB”—where they sold stolen checks to scammers looking to commit bank fraud. Beyond that, Smith and McGhee-Parrish worked with Rogers and others to commit bank fraud—depositing fraudulent checks, submitting fraudulent loan applications, initiating fraudulent Automated Clearing House transfers, and using stolen passcodes to withdraw funds from Automated Teller Machines.
This case was brought as part of a crackdown on scam Telegram channels operating out of the Northern District of Alabama. Other defendants who have been prosecuted in related cases include Mekhi Diwone Harris, who ran a Telegram channel called “Work Related,” and Gabriel Samuel Odiot, who ran a Telegram channel called “RICH OFF PLAYS.” Together, these channels are responsible for the sale of tens of millions of dollars in stolen checks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the cases.
Assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Heflin Police Department, and the Hueytown Police Department. Alabama Credit Union also provided significant assistance during the course of the investigation.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.