SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - A former Assistant Clerk Magistrate at Salem District Court is accused of stealing bail money she collected and using it for herself, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
The Attorney General’s Office announced Tuesday that an Essex Grand Jury has returned indictments against Michelle Bowman, 51, of Danvers, on charges relating to misuing more than $71,000 in bail funds and forging a form to conceal her actions while she served as a bail magistrate and an Assistant Clerk Magistrate in Salem District Court.
“We’ve been investigating for some time now and obviously we take allegations of embezzlement quite seriously, especially when done by public officials,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
In May 2024, while trying to process a bail forfeiture, Lawrence District Court staff reported they realized that $25,000 in bail funds had never been received by the court and were missing.
When the missing bail came to light, the Attorney General’s Office’s said Bowman submitted a forged recognizance form to the court for the missing funds, altering dates to make it appear as though the bail was received more recently that it had been.
After reviewing Bowman’s financial records, investigators discovered several withdrawals taken from her bail bank account which appeared to be for personal use, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The withdrawals were found 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 did so likely because she was in debt.
They also discovered Bowman took trips to Las Vegas, Barbados, and Aruba and spent money on jewelry, designer perfume, luxury clothing, and event tickets during the relevant timeframe.
“There is an expectation. Not only do you continue to build trust with the people we serve, but there’s an expectation you deliver services to folks without fraud attached,” said Campbell.
Bowman is charged with Fiduciary Embezzlement and Unwarranted Privilege for her misuse of bail funds and Forgery and Uttering for creating and submitting a false recognizance form.
She was arraigned Tuesday in Essex Superior Court and ordered to turn over her passport. She is due back in court on December 12.
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