Three individuals—Averill Dintaman, Daniel Nolan, and Dwayne Johnson—have pleaded guilty to their roles in an identity theft and unclaimed property fraud scheme that attempted to steal $579,551.99 from the State of Michigan and an unnamed victim. The scheme involved forging a durable power of attorney for the victim, which Johnson then used to impersonate the victim at the Department of Treasury's Unclaimed Property Office and request a duplicated unclaimed property check, according to the Department of Attorney General.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the convictions, which stemmed from charges filed in May 2025 following a referral from the Department of Treasury. Nessel stated, "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, and I am thankful for the diligent work of the Department of Treasury and the prosecutors in my office who worked tirelessly to secure these convictions," emphasizing the state's commitment to prosecuting those involved in such crimes, as reported by the Department of Attorney General.
The defendants, Dintaman, Nolan, and Johnson, have all entered guilty pleas to various felony charges stemming from financial crimes, with Dintaman's plea including Conspiracy to Commit False Pretenses over $100,000, Uttering and Publishing, Forgery, and Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, while Nolan and Johnson plead guilty to charges such as Forgery and Identity Theft. These guilty pleas were heard by Judge Janice Cunningham of the 56th Circuit Court in Eaton County, Michigan. The sentencing dates have been set to be staggered, with Dintaman on December 11, Johnson on January 15, 2026, and Nolan on January 22, 2026, where they face potential lengthy prison terms, concluding a case that emphasizes the continuous efforts of state departments to combat financial crimes in the digital age, as stated by the Department of Attorney General.
