A New York man is facing charges after he allegedly captured a great white shark on the shores of Cape Cod last year.
The Cape Cod District Attorney’s office says Christopher Stefanou, 30, who lives on Long Island, embarked on a voyage with his crew and a European client in October 2025 with the intention of capturing “Aaron the Shark” a shark that had been closely monitored by the state of Massachusetts and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Stefanou allegedly posted video online showing he and the other men on board using prohibited equipment, including a drone, to catch and drag the shark onto the beach.
The DA’s office said the men took photos with the shark before releasing it into the ocean.
It is illegal in Massachusetts to use equipment specifically designed to capture large species of fish, including the great white sharks, in most of the waters surrounding Cape Cod.
“Such regulations are designed in large part to protect the public from practices that intentionally lure these prohibited species closer to the shore,” DA Robert Galibois said.
Stefanou was arraigned in Barnstable Superior Court on Wednesday on charges of animal cruelty to a shark, fishing for shark, mechanical deployment of bait, attempt to capture a shark, and possession of a protected shark species.
Stefanou’s bail was set at $10,000.
He is due back in Barnstable Superior Court on December 11,
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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