Campaign Manager In Rockland Accused Of Stealing Funds

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — A Bardonia man is accused from stealing from a political committee while he was its campaign manager, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II.

Michael Bookman, 40, faces charges of third-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records, and issuing a bad check.

Over a period spanning four months, prosecutors alleged Bookman stole more than $7,000 from a political campaign committee.

Then, more than four months after the bank closed the campaign account due to insufficient funds, prosecutors alleged Bookman wrote a check to the candidate for a loan repayment purporting to represent the balance in the campaign account.

"Ensuring transparent and lawful campaign management is paramount to preserving the integrity of our democratic process," Walsh said. "Our office is committed to holding individuals accountable when they exploit their positions for unlawful gain."

Arrested on an indictment Friday, Bookman was arraigned by the Hon. Rolf Thorsen in Rockland County Court and released on his own recognizance.

It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the DA said.