BOSTON, Mass. — A 44-year-old Atlanta man was arraigned in superior court for falsely claiming more than $1.1 million from the Massachusetts Unclaimed Property Division, the attorney general’s office announced.
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According to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Shaka Stayman, 44, of Atlanta, allegedly submitted seven fraudulent claims to the Massachusetts Unclaimed Property Division, resulting in the issuance of three checks totaling more than $1.1 million.
Investigators prevented an additional $2.2 million in losses by stopping payments on four more claims.
On Nov. 7, Stayman pled not guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of larceny over $1,200, four counts of attempted larceny over $1,200, three counts of money laundering, seven counts of uttering a false document, seven counts of presenting a false claim, and one count of conspiracy.
His bail was set at $2 million.
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The AGO alleges that between September 2023 and August 2025, Stayman used a variety of methods to perpetrate his fraud, including submitting false documents, using call-forwarding numbers to disguise his phone number, and employing mail-forwarding services to reroute checks.
He also opened phony bank accounts using fake identification. A search of Stayman’s Atlanta home by Massachusetts State Police and Atlanta-area law enforcement uncovered copies of the fraudulent claim paperwork and other evidence of his scheme, according to officials. Financial records indicate that the stolen funds were used for luxury purchases, including a condominium and designer goods.
Dwight Tucker, a co-defendant in the case, is scheduled for arraignment on Nov.13, though his exact role in the scheme has not been detailed.
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