Ex-Massachusetts courtroom clerk indicted for allegedly embezzling bail funds

Wanna get away?

Danvers lady Michelle Bowman had apparently executed simply that — jetting off to trip locations because the Salem courtroom clerk allegedly embezzled greater than $70,000 in bail funds.

The 51-year-old former assistant clerk Justice of the Peace has been indicted on fees associated to misusing greater than $71,000 in bail funds and forging a recognizance kind to hide her wrongdoing, based on the Massachusetts AG’s workplace.

Bowman’s base pay was $134,389 in 2023, based on the state payroll database.

Lawrence District Courtroom employees final Could was attempting to course of a bail forfeiture, they usually realized that the $25,000 in bail funds had by no means been obtained by the courtroom.

When the lacking bail got here to mild, Bowman allegedly submitted a cast recognizance kind to the courtroom for the lacking bail — altering dates to make it seem as if the bail was obtained extra just lately than it had been.

Then the Trial Courtroom’s audit revealed that eight bails, which Bowman had allegedly taken, have been lacking and had by no means been turned over to the related courts. These eight bails totaled $71,000.

The audit additionally revealed that Bowman allegedly held some bail funds for much longer than bail Justice of the Peace guidelines permitted. In a single occasion, she stored a $75,000 bail for greater than six months earlier than paying it to the related courtroom.

After reviewing Bowman’s monetary information, investigators found a number of withdrawals taken from her bail checking account, which gave the impression to be for private use — together with $14,449 in funds to American Specific, $14,021 in funds to her landlord, and $8,508 in money withdrawals.

Throughout this time, Bowman took journeys to Las Vegas, Barbados, and Aruba, and spent cash on jewellery, designer fragrance, high-end clothes, and occasion tickets, based on prosecutors.