By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER US Charge d’Affaires to The Bahamas, Stephanie Bowers, reportedly pleaded not guilty last week in the United States to charges of financial crime and concealment.

Nothing indicates that the charges relate to her activity as a former diplomat in The Bahamas.

The Post and Courier, an American newspaper, reported the former diplomat appeared before a Charleston South Carolina US District Court on Wednesday, on one count of participating in a government activity to further her financial interests and two counts of concealing or falsifying information.

US District Court Magistrate Judge Molly Cherry set her bond at $50,000 with the stipulation she not travel out of the country unless authorised. The judge approved travel to The Bahamas for a funeral said to be held last week.

The news outlet reported she was indicted June 18 while she was in The Bahamas, but it was not clear what incident her charges stemmed from. Ms Bower lives in Ohio but, according to the article, owns a rental property in The Bahamas.

Ms Bowers was the Charge d’Affaires for The Bahamas from 2018 to 2020. During her tenure, she oversaw US humanitarian aid for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in 2019. 

She was appointed in 2021 as a director at the American technology company Inseego Corp, but resigned on June 30. 

“Ms Bowers’ resignation was for personal reasons and not the result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices,” the Post and Courier article reported.