Utah to get $3.5 million from settlement following Supreme Court ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)

Utah is expected to receive a chunk of $102 million stemming from unaccounted funds, after a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision found certain unclaimed checks should go back to the state where they originated.

The funds are part of a settlement agreement between Delaware and 30 other states, including Utah. According to the Utah Attorney General’s Office, the state is expected to receive about $3.5 million.

The settlement marks the latest in several cases that have made their way to the U.S. Supreme Court over unclaimed property — the cases revolved around the question of which state has a right to unknown teller and agent checks, types of checks marketed and issued by the company MoneyGram Payment System.

In the suit, states alleged that Delaware retained custody of unclaimed checks issued by MoneyGram. The company reported the checks to Delaware but they were “never sent to the intended beneficiary,” said Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes in a statement.

The court ultimately ruled that those checks fall under the Federal Disposition Act, meaning they should return to the state where they originated from.

The recent settlement directs Delaware to transfer about $102 million in unclaimed property that was reported by MoneyGram between 2011 to 2017 back to the 30 states. In addition, the coalition of states will receive about $55 million, plus interest, from a MoneyGram escrow account.

“The people of Utah are the ultimate winners here. Our team works hard to reunite lost money with its rightful owner, including employing aggressive outreach campaigns, leveraging advanced technology, and partnering with charities, local government leaders, and the news media,” said Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks in a statement.

Utahns who have unclaimed property, including MoneyGram checks, can search for their name at mycash.utah.gov .

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