Press Release  Methuen Attorney Indicted in Connection With Stealing Tens of Thousands of Dollars From Estate

Boston — A now-disbarred attorney from Methuen has been indicted in connection with allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from an estate she represented, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Deborah Anthony, 67, was indicted this week by an Essex County Grand Jury on the charges of Fiduciary Embezzlement (two counts) and Criminal Contempt (one count). She will be arraigned at a later date.

Anthony was appointed as the administrator of an estate and received more than $190,000 in estate funds. As the administrator, she was charged with safeguarding the funds, paying appropriate expenses, and disbursing remaining funds to the beneficiaries.

Authorities allege that Anthony never disbursed any funds to the beneficiaries, and instead used the estate funds to pay for her own personal expenses and office administrative expenses. Anthony allegedly used more than $20,000 of these estate funds to cover mismanaged funds entrusted to her by two previous clients.

Investigators allege that when ordered by the Essex Family and Probate Court in December 2014 to provide an accounting of the estate, Anthony submitted false written statements concerning the use and status of the estate funds. 

Anthony had practiced at a law firm she owned, based in Andover. She was disbarred following an inquiry by the Board of Bar Overseers.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Edward Beagan, Senior Trial Counsel in AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division, with assistance from paralegal Zachary Gregoric of AG Healey’s Criminal Bureau and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, and the Essex District Attorney’s Office.

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