CAPE COD, Massachusetts (WBZ) -- A New York man is accused of illegally catching a great white shark and dragging it onto a Cape Cod beach. Christopher Stefanou of Long Island is charged with animal cruelty and breaking rules about shark fishing, Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois said Wednesday. Galibois said that in October of 2025, “Stefanou and his crew embarked on a days-long excursion on the eastern shore of Cape Cod with a European client with the goal of capturing a great white shark, resulting in the capture of ‘Aaron the Shark.’” “Authorities were alerted to the illegal activity when Stefanou publicly posted video footage of the capture on social media showing the men using prohibited equipment, including a drone, to capture and drag the shark onto the beach, where they proceeded to celebrate and photograph themselves with the shark prior to releasing it,” Galibois said. Aaron the Shark is listed in the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s white shark logbook. The 9-and-a-half-foot male shark was tagged by researchers in 2024 and has been detected up and down the outer Cape thousands of times by acoustic sonar. The 30-year-old Stefanou was arraigned in Barnstable Superior Court Wednesday on charges of animal cruelty to shark, fishing for shark, mechanical deployment of bait, attempt to capture a shark and possession of protected species shark. Bail was set at US$10,000. He’s due back in court on Dec. 11. Galibois said until then, he’s been ordered to surrender his fishing license, not post any shark fishing videos to social media, and stay out of Massachusetts except for legal reasons. In a statement to WBZ, Stefanou’s attorney said his client is “a skilled and accomplished angler with more than a decade of experience.” “There can be no question that Chris respects the sport, actively participates in conservation practices, assists in marine tagging and research efforts, and volunteers his time to educate enthusiasts on safe and responsible angling,” Stefanou’s attorney Jon A. Ciraulo said. “The charges against Chris are allegations only. He maintains his innocence and intends to fully challenge the allegations against him.” By Neal Riley
