Trio sentenced in $600K identity theft scheme in Eaton County

Two Mt. Pleasant men and a St. Louis man pleaded guilty to stealing unclaimed property funds.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:10pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, torn document with a redacted signature, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the evidence of an identity theft and fraud scheme.A recent wave of identity theft and fraud targeting state unclaimed property funds has exposed vulnerabilities in government security systems.Charlotte Today

Three men from Michigan and Missouri have been sentenced for their roles in an identity theft scheme that attempted to steal nearly $600,000 in unclaimed property funds from the state of Michigan. Averill Dintaman and Daniel Nolan, both of Mt. Pleasant, and Dwayne Johnson of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal someone's identity and forge documents to fraudulently obtain the unclaimed funds.

Why it matters

Identity theft and fraud schemes targeting government unclaimed property funds are a growing concern, as criminals seek to exploit vulnerabilities in state systems to illegally obtain large sums of money. This case highlights the need for robust security measures and vigilance to protect taxpayer dollars from such criminal activity.

The details

According to the Michigan Attorney General's Office, Dintaman and Nolan conspired to steal someone's identity in 2022 and then forged a fraudulent power of attorney to obtain an unclaimed property check for $579,551 in the victim's name. They then recruited Johnson to pose as the victim and collect a second copy of the check in person at the state Treasury Department's Unclaimed Property Office.

  • In 2022, Dintaman and Nolan conspired to steal someone's identity.
  • On April 2, 2026, Dwayne Johnson was sentenced to 1 year of probation.
  • Prior to Johnson's sentencing, Dintaman and Nolan had already been sentenced to 3 to 20 years in prison.

The players

Averill Dintaman

A 47-year-old man from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and identity theft charges related to the $600,000 fraud scheme.

Daniel Nolan

A 51-year-old man from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and identity theft charges related to the $600,000 fraud scheme.

Dwayne Johnson

A 60-year-old man from St. Louis, Missouri who pleaded guilty to posing as the victim to collect a second copy of the fraudulently obtained unclaimed property check.

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What they’re saying

“This was a deliberate attempt to steal more than half a million dollars from the State of Michigan and from the rightful owner of these funds ...”

— Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General

What’s next

The judge will determine if Dintaman and Nolan will be granted parole or serve the full 3 to 20 year sentences for their roles in the identity theft and fraud scheme.

The takeaway

This case underscores the growing threat of sophisticated identity theft and fraud targeting government unclaimed property funds, and the need for enhanced security measures to protect taxpayer dollars from criminal exploitation.