SALEM, Mass. —

A former assistant clerk magistrate for Salem District Court in Massachusetts was arraigned on Tuesday for alleged embezzlement and forgery charges.

Michelle Bowman, 51, of Danvers, is accused of misusing more than $71,000 in bail funds and forging documents to conceal her wrongdoings.

According to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office, in May 2024, staff from Lawrence District Court who were trying to process a bail forfeiture from Salem realized that $25,000 in bail funds were missing.

When the missing bail came to light, Bowman allegedly submitted a forged recognizance form to the court, altering dates to make it seem as though the bail was received more recently than it had been.

A subsequent audit by the Trial Court revealed eight bails processed by Bowman were

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