Nick Cannon KNEW something was up with stuttering "America's Got Talent" fraud Timothy Poe from the get-go -- telling TMZ, one glaring clue gave the guy away ... the night of his audition.

You've all seen the footage ... Timothy Poe put on a stuttering spectacle last week on the "AGT" stage -- claiming he developed his speech impediment from war injuries. TMZ showed you his story was holier than the Pope.

And last night in L.A., Nick told us he had a gut feeling Timothy was a fraud too -- as soon as the guy stepped off the stage -- because once the cameras were off him ... Tim stopped stuttering.

Nick's first thought was Tim was so emotional he didn't have to stutter -- but looking back, Nick said, "I think he was so caught up in the moment he FORGOT to stutter."

The family of the stuttering veteran Timothy Poe who sang on "America's Got Talent" tell TMZ they have been receiving death threats since our stories revealed Poe is a fraud.

As we reported, Poe gave producers of "AGT" a photo which he claimed showed him in Afghanistan, but in reality the pic is of someone else. And Poe could produce no documentation to prove he suffered a debilitating brain injury in the war -- as he claimed on the show.

Poe's family tells us ... several family members have been getting death threats. We're told Poe's sister-in-law went to the store Thursday with her kids and someone came up to them and said, "We're going to kill you and the whole family."

Several family members have received phone calls. We're told Poe's fiancee answered the phone (after Poe's number was leaked on social media) and the caller said, "You made American vets look bad and now you're going to suffer."

And we're told another vet called to warn that he and others would be coming to Poe's house, so "watch out."

As for Poe himself, a family member says she fears he's suicidal. He hasn't left the house since the scandal broke, and he's been crying incessantly. One family member says Poe is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

But ... we're told no one has called the cops about the threats.

Producers of "America's Got Talent" are going to edit stuttering G.I. fraud Timothy Poe's appearance in the upcoming Las Vegas show ... the open question is whether Poe will be 86'd from the show altogether.

TMZ broke the story ... Timothy is NOT the soldier in a photo used during his melodramatic audition segment Monday night -- and the army has no record he was ever injured in Afghanistan ... as he had claimed.

"AGT" producers told TMZ Tim gave them the photo -- and they aired it without questioning him.

Sources connected with the show tell us ... there will "definitely be edits" and producers are currently discussing exactly what they will cut and what if anything they will keep.

We just spoke with "AGT" judge Howie Mandel, who tells us, "I was blown away that I was totally taken in," adding, "I'm really angry with the guy."

Howie believes Poe won't be disqualified from the show. Rather, he thinks producers will let Poe continue performing, but now he'll be known as a liar and not a war hero. Good luck in front of Howard Stern.

Stuttering "America's Got Talent" contestant Timothy Poe is NOT the soldier in the photo displayed during his tearjerker audition this week -- it's someone else ... and the REAL soldier is pissed.

Staff Sgt. Norman Bone tells TMZ, he first heard about the photo from his ex-wife who was watching "AGT" -- Norman thought it was part of a tribute to the troops ... and didn't think twice about it.

Tuesday night, one of the guys Bone served with in Afghanistan sent him a message on Facebook -- telling him the "AGT" segment  was must-see TV ... so Bone finally checked it out online ... and now, he's livid. (Skip to 1:29 to see the photo)


Bone -- who currently serves in El Paso, TX -- tells us, "First thing that came to my mind was 'Why would this lying son of a bitch do this?'" ... adding, "I'm absolutely furious. Been seeing red all day."

Bone says he's never even heard of Timothy Poe -- and he's going to meet with the Army legal department to explore his options.

The photo in question was originally posted here -- on the U.S. Department of Defense website -- along with the caption, "U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Norman Bone directs movement as his patrol turns around on a narrow path in the mountains of Parwan province in Afghanistan on Oct. 25, 2006."

Timothy Poe has insisted from the beginning his story is legit. We called him about the photo. He hasn't gotten back to us.


12:40 PM PT: A rep for FreemantleMedia -- the production company behind "AGT" -- tells TMZ, "We sincerely apologize to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Norman Bone for using a photo of him in our story on Tim Poe. It was supplied to us by Tim and used on the show in good faith. It has now been removed and will not be used again."