A fishing influencer known as the “Sharkman” is facing criminal charges after allegedly catching a protected great white shark off Cape Cod, dragging it onto the beach, and celebrating the encounter on camera.
Christopher Stefanou, 30, of Long Island, New York, was indicted by a Barnstable County grand jury and arraigned October 21. The allegations stem from a nighttime fishing expedition near Wellfleet’s Marconi Beach in October 2025.
Stefanou, who posts as “LI Sharkman,” has amassed millions of YouTube subscribers with videos documenting dramatic shark catches. According to the Provincetown Independent, he traveled to Cape Cod with his crew and a customer from Amsterdam for what they called “Operation Amsterdam.”
Prosecutors allege the group used drones to drop baited lines offshore, hooked a great white, and fought it for more than an hour before hauling the exhausted animal onto the sand. They photographed the shark before removing the hook and releasing it.
The catch was no mystery to scientists. The shark, known as “AAron,” had been tagged in 2024 and tracked by researchers with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. Although prosecutors initially feared it had died from capture stress, its tracking tag was subsequently detected elsewhere.
Stefanou faces five charges: animal cruelty, illegal shore-based shark fishing, unlawful mechanized deployment of bait, attempting to capture a white shark, and possession of a prohibited species. The animal-cruelty charge alone carries a potential seven-year prison sentence, according to the Independent.
Massachusetts prohibits targeting white sharks and using certain gear to lure large sharks toward shore in most Cape Cod waters. Regulations also restrict drone-deployed bait, partly to protect swimmers and surfers.
Ironically, investigators say Stefanou’s own social-media footage alerted them to the incident.
Stefanou pleaded not guilty.
His attorney, Jon Ciraulo, said, “He maintains his innocence and intends to fully challenge the allegations.”
Released on $10,000 bail, Stefanou must surrender his fishing license, remove related videos, and avoid fishing in Massachusetts waters. His next court date is December 11.
Related: Woman Tries to Pet Great White Shark. It Doesn’t Go Well. (Video)
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