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Thelma Bowman, a former personnel supervisor for the city of Los Angeles, seemed to have it all—a big, new home, a nice car, money to travel—anything and everything she might possibly want. But now she has something she didn’t want—an indictment for embezzling funds from the city’s workers’ compensation system.
In July of this year, Bowman and 13 of her friends and acquaintances were charged with taking part in a scheme to submit phony claims and medical bills to the city of Los Angeles. The phony billings began in August 1992 and continued through June 1994.
Bowman allegedly used a variety of methods to pull off her scam. It is charged that she provided information to one doctor, Eddie Boatwright of Carson, that enabled him to submit almost $500,000 in fake claims for medical services supposedly provided to city employees.
Bowman also is accused of providing information to several Los Angeles area private investigators, including Harris Eugene Harris, Theron Wiggins, and Richard Ervin. These investigators are accused of using the information Bowman provided to submit phony billings for $200,000. Working on her own, Bowman is said to have altered computerized personnel records and then authorized payment of $300,000 in bogus disability claims to her friends and relatives. Charged in this portion of the scam were (Bowman’s nieces) Trina Irvin, Tracy Irvin and Teresa Denise Wilson of Compton and (acquaintances) Garry Graham and Dora Lee Hooper, both of Los Angeles; Frank Mack of Compton; Juanita Morris of North Hollywood, and Ikey Porter Curry, no known address.
In 1992, when the money allegedly first began sneaking into Bowman’s bank accounts, she traveled to France, Switzerland, Jamaica and Cancun. Co-workers who questioned her good fortune were told that the money came from wise investments and from income properties.
The scheme eventually came to light as part of a routine internal audit. The audit resulted in a 13-month investigation, during which search warrants were served on 40 different financial institutions.
The $1.1 million Bowman and her friends obtained through this alleged scam—possibly the biggest case of its kind in California history—has already been spent. The city of Los Angeles has been reimbursed by its insurance carrier.
If convicted, Bowman faces a 13 year prison sentence and Boatwright faces ten years and eight months. The other defendants face sentences ranging between five years, eight months and eight years, eight months.
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