A Detroit Rapper Who Made Songs About Credit Card Fraud Has Been Charged With Credit Card Fraud

Rap lyrics are often used as evidence in US courtrooms, with words taken at face value and artists facing punishment for a lifestyle they may only be portraying for the public. For one Detroit rapper, however, it appears the image he was portraying is all too real. The Detroit News reports that 25-year-old rapper Jonathan Woods, who goes by the name Selfmade Kash, has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and possession of unauthorized access devices. The MC referred to himself as the “Swipe God,” and has frequently bragged about committing credit card fraud in his songs and on social media.

Selfmade Kash donned a golden credit card chain in his videos, and has songs with titles like “In Swipe I Trust” and “Swipe God Freestyle.” On the latter track, he raps about his alleged fraud amidst B-roll of credit cards and cash:

I got them in they feelings
Off these swipes I made a killing
I made 10 ain’t have to split it

“Woods claimed to be sophisticated at credit card fraud when, in fact, he is not,” federal prosecutors wrote in the indictment revealed on Thursday. “Woods frequently posts pictures and videos on Twitter and Instagram containing large amounts of money, credit cards, and credit card skimmers to promote his proclivity for credit card fraud.”

Prosecutors trace his alleged fraud back to May 2017 and claim he connected with other would-be scammers on Instagram, teaching them how to find bank identification numbers on the dark web in exchange for money. He has nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts pictures of cash and credit card emojis, promotes his music, and even shared a photo with YoungBoy Never Broke Again:

It’s unclear if Woods' lyrics played a role in his arrest, as prosecutors seem to have built their case off his social media activity. The use of rap lyrics in the justice system, however, is a real issue that will face a Supreme Court test later this year. Artists like Chance the Rapper, Meek Mill, and Killer Mike have weighed in, arguing that hip-hop artists and lyrics are not given the artistic license granted to predominantly white genres like outlaw country.

Woods faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Read The Detroit News‘ article here and watch Detroit’s ABC 7 report on the rapper above.