Max Sasanoff was caught up in a counterfeiting ring that operated from New York City's Putnam Building in 1922. After being arrested with multiple co-defendants he was confined to Atlanta Federal Prison. In his own words Max got into trouble when he used his artistic ability to create designs for $20 bills. His friends were shocked after"Mild Max" was incarcerated. They knew him as someone with a meek nature who was very talented both as an artist and a musician. While in France Max became an opera singer. He had returned to New York from Europe to sing in a theater.