Great Lakes Wire

Namir Shango, 34, of Davison, was arraigned in the 67th District Court in Saginaw on one count of False Pretenses, $50,000 to $100,000 last Wednesday. The charge is a 15-year felony for allegedly committing bottle return fraud from the Mt. Morris liquor store Valley Liquor, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

It is alleged that Shango created fake bottle deposit return invoices made to look as though they were generated by his in-store bottle return processing machine and presented these to his soft-drink distributor to receive fraudulent credits toward incoming deliveries. This investigation was conducted by Michigan State Police (MSP).

“Michigan’s bottle deposit program is meant to incentivize recycling efforts, and the State needs business owners to operate with integrity to achieve those goals,” said Nessel. “Defrauding business partners and taking advantage of a popular state program for self-enrichment will not be tolerated and my department will hold fraudsters accountable.”

“Fraudulent bottle deposit activity like this hurts businesses, the state of Michigan, and ultimately reduces funds meant to protect our environment,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. “We are committed to identifying and putting a stop to these crimes.”

Shango will next appear before the court for a probable cause conference on August 29.

Please note: For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.