Overview
- Michelle S. Bowman, 51, pleaded not guilty in Essex Superior Court to fiduciary embezzlement, unwarranted privilege, forgery and uttering.
- She was released on personal recognizance, ordered to surrender her passport, and is due back in court on December 12.
- The case began after Lawrence District Court staff could not locate a forfeited $25,000 bail in May 2024, which prosecutors say she tried to cover with a forged recognizance form.
- A Trial Court audit found eight unremitted bails totaling $71,000 and instances of large deposits held far beyond allowed limits, including $75,000 kept for six months.
- Investigators report withdrawals and payments from her bail account for personal use, trips to Las Vegas, Barbados and Aruba, and purchases such as jewelry and designer perfume.