Mid-Michigan Resident Sentenced for $500K+ Fraud Scheme

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A 60-year-old man from St. Louis, Michigan has been sentenced to 1 year of probation for his involvement in a $500,000+ fraud scheme that involved identity theft and forging documents to illegally obtain an unclaimed property check. Dwayne Johnson pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy, which was orchestrated by two other Michigan residents.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of identity theft and fraud schemes targeting unclaimed property funds, which can have significant financial impacts on victims and the state. It also underscores the need for robust verification processes at government agencies to prevent such crimes.

The details

According to court records, Averill Dintaman and Daniel Nolan conspired in 2022 to steal the identity of a Michigan man and forge a power-of-attorney document. They then used this to obtain an unclaimed property check for $579,551 in the victim's name. Dintaman and Nolan recruited Johnson to pose as the victim and collect a second copy of the check in person at the state's Department of Treasury's Unclaimed Property Office.

• In May 2025, all three individuals were charged for their roles in the scheme.
• In October 2025, Dintaman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 to 20 years in prison.
• In November 2025, Nolan pleaded guilty and received the same sentence as Dintaman.