Boston – In a grim revelation of corporate greed, Michelle Higson, 41, from Georgetown, MA, has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $60,000 from her former employer. The 41-year-old woman stood before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper today on charges of bank fraud and uttering a forged security.
Higson, who served as a part-time bookkeeper at a Rowley-based company, was responsible for the accounts payable. From December 2013 through January 2015, she systematically stole the company’s checks and cashed them under false pretenses. Her brazen move involved forging her employer’s signature on the stolen checks, depositing them into her own account, and using the funds for personal expenses.
In a bid to cover her tracks, Higson manipulated the company’s general ledger, falsifying entries to make it seem as if the stolen funds were used for legitimate vendor payments. Her deceitful actions cost the employer over $60,000.
The severity of the crime is reflected in the potential sentences: bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Uttering a forged security could lead to 10 years in jail, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. However, actual sentences are typically less than these maximums.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Inspector Shelly Binkowski of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced the charges, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti from Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Sentencing for Higson has been scheduled for July 26, 2017. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of white-collar crime and the vigilant oversight required to prevent such fraud in corporate settings.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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