SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) – A former assistant clerk at Salem District Court is accused of stealing bail money she collected and using it for herself, the attorney general’s office said.
The attorney general’s office announced Tuesday that an Essex Grand Jury has indicted Michelle Bowman, 51, of Danvers, on charges of misusing more than $71,000 in bail funds and forging a form to conceal her actions while she served as a bail magistrate and assistant clerk in Salem District Court.
“We have been investigating for some time and of course we take allegations of embezzlement very seriously, especially when they are made by public officials,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
In May 2024, while attempting to process a bail forfeiture case, Lawrence District Court staff reported realizing that $25,000 in bail funds had never been received by the court and was missing.
When the missing bail came to light, the attorney general’s office said Bowman submitted a forged acknowledgment form to the court for the missing funds, with the dates changed to make it appear as if the bail had been received more recently than had been the case.
After reviewing Bowman’s financial records, investigators discovered several withdrawals from her bail bank account that appeared to be for personal use, the attorney general’s office said. The withdrawals turned out to be more than $14,000 in payments to American Express, more than $14,000 in payments to her landlord and more than $8,500 in cash withdrawals.
Investigators believe she probably did this because she was in debt.
They also found that Bowman took trips to Las Vegas, Barbados and Aruba and spent money on jewelry, designer perfumes, luxury clothing and event tickets during the relevant period.
“There’s an expectation. Not only do you continue to build trust with the people we serve, but there’s an expectation that you provide services to people without fraud,” Campbell said.
Bowman is charged with fiduciary embezzlement and undue privilege for her misuse of bail funds and with forgery and misrepresentation for preparing and filing a false acknowledgment form.
She was arraigned at Essex Superior Court on Tuesday and ordered to surrender her passport. She must appear in court again on December 12.
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