Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has announced the indictment of Johnny Lee Bowers and Ashley Meredith Hewitt, also known as Ashley Hopkins, for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.
Charges of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery are pending against the pair for allegedly submitting fraudulent applications for 50 children, out of which 43 were fake. According to investigators, Bowers and Hewitt posed as parents and created “ghost” parents to support the fake claims, ultimately misappropriating approximately $110,000 intended to fund children’s education.
They reportedly used the stolen funds for their personal expenses while living in Colorado.
Following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Special Investigations Section, a grand jury in Arizona issued the indictments, which Assistant Attorney General Haleigh Farrelly is prosecuting. Authorities believe the duo is now residing in Utah.
The extensive allegations and evidence of forged paperwork underscore the seriousness of the case, despite the accused’s presumed innocence until proven guilty. Attorney General Mayes emphasized that this fraudulent activity deprived legitimate students of resources crucial to their education.
The Arizona’s AG’s office has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and justice by making the indictment publicly available on its website online.