DeKalb Public Health on Wednesday, Aug. 12, issued a formal statement naming YouTube content creator Boku Blackk as the person who impersonated a health inspector at a Brookhaven restaurant on Buford Highway, confirming the act is a misdemeanor crime under Georgia law, according to The Champion Newspaper.

The statement marks an escalation from the department's initial advisory around Aug. 4, which described the impersonation but did not officially name the creator. As we reported Aug. 4, police were called after the incident at the Buford Highway establishment.

In an approximately 12-minute video shared by the department, Blackk walks into the restaurant, approaches the counter, identifies himself as "Agent Blackk" and says he is there for "a routine inspection." He then walks through the kitchen, coolers and bathrooms while filming. Toward the end, employees ask him to show ID and a badge.

He does not provide either.

DeKalb Public Health stated that Blackk "has made appearances throughout the metro area, including DeKalb County on Buford Highway" and "has also impersonated an inspector in other states, as seen on his YouTube page, seemingly targeting Asian establishments." The department said such stunts erode the trust of food service establishments and damage the credibility of legitimate health inspectors.

How restaurant owners can spot a real inspector

Alongside the statement, DeKalb Public Health published a five-point checklist for Buford Highway and other restaurant owners to verify a legitimate Environmental Health Specialist:

• The inspector should always carry photo ID.
• The inspector should always be professional in appearance and actions.
• A real inspector will never take money in the field.
• A real inspector will never accept free food or drink.
• The inspector should always provide documentation after any visit, either a signed inspection report for routine visits or a summary with signatures for complaint investigations or follow-ups.

Restaurant owners can find more information at dekalbpublichealth.com.

GBI involvement possible, no charges filed

Lynn Paxton, interim district health director for the DeKalb Health District, told WSB-TV on Aug. 6 that real inspectors identify issues and get them fixed on the spot. "It's not a stunt, it's not for clicks and views, it's for public safety," Paxton said in that interview.

DeKalb Public Health has said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation could get involved because Blackk has conducted similar impersonations in multiple counties. As of Aug. 7, DeKalb County Police had not specified whether officers would arrest, ticket or warn Blackk, and no charges had been filed as of Aug. 12.

Blackk, whose YouTube channel had more than 36,400 subscribers as of Wednesday, told WSB Radio on Aug. 7 that he is "no longer making the videos." His channel carries a disclaimer stating the content is "for entertainment and educational purposes only."