Three Mid-Michiganders Admit to Massive Identity Theft Fraud

If you thought your week had been chaotic, try being one of the three Mid-Michigan individuals who just pled guilty to a half-million-dollar identity theft scheme so bold it could've been pitched as a bad heist movie.

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How the Fraud Worked

According to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Averill Dintaman and Daniel Nolan of Mount Pleasant, along with Dwayne Johnson of Saint Louis (not that Dwayne Johnson and not that St. Louis), admitted to forging a durable power of attorney, stealing someone's identity, and trying to cash out an unclaimed property check worth $579,551.99. Because apparently, when these three go big, they go real big.

The Bold Treasury Visit

In 2022, prosecutors say the trio stole a victim's identity, cooked up fake documents, and tried to snag a massive unclaimed property check. Johnson even marched into the Treasury's Unclaimed Property Office pretending to be the victim, which is bold, confusing, and, honestly, the plot twist no one asked for.

Nessel praised her team and the Department of Treasury for shutting down the scheme, reminding everyone that Michigan takes identity theft and forgery very seriously — even when the criminals don't.

Legal Charges and Sentencing Risk

Dintaman and Nolan both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit false pretenses over $100,000 — a 20-year felony — along with forgery-related charges and using a computer to commit a crime.

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All three Michiganders now await sentencing in Eaton County before Judge Janice Cunningham. Dintaman goes first on December 11, Johnson follows on January 15, and Nolan wraps things up on January 22. No word yet on whether they’ll carpool.