BARRE — The former leader of a nonprofit economic development organization has denied a charge accusing her of embezzling more than $70,000 from the group.
A charging document filed ahead of Thursday’s arraignment for Melissa Bounty also provided new details into what authorities say she spent the money on.
“She was making weekly purchases from Amazon which were not received at the office but instead being delivered directly to her home address,” the filing stated.
“She was dining out at various restaurants throughout the region in the evenings and on weekends which would not have aligned with any business meetings or other business events,” the filing added.
Bounty, 42, of Waitsfield, entered a not guilty plea to the single felony count through her attorney Thursday during a brief arraignment in Washington County Superior criminal court in Barre.
Judge Daniel Richardson imposed several conditions on Bounty, including that she not contact certain staff and board members of the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation, the organization she is accused of embezzling from when she served as its executive director.
Washington County Deputy State’s Attorney Corina Olteanu said in court Thursday that the investigation remained “ongoing.”
The court appearance was the first for Bounty since the Montpelier Police Department announced in December it had issued her a criminal citation for the alleged embezzlement following a monthslong investigation.
Police released few details at that time into the probe other than to say Bounty allegedly embezzled more than $70,000 from the organization, where she worked as executive director from 2022 to 2025.
Montpelier Police Detective Alesha Donovan wrote in the 22-page charging affidavit filed ahead of Thursday’s hearing that officials with the economic development group contacted authorities in July reporting that they believed that Bounty had embezzled from the organization and had been placed on leave.
The filing stated that Bounty had embezzled $71,151 between March 2023 and July 1, 2025, and that an employee at the organization had “grown suspicious” of certain financial transactions.
The transactions, according to the filing, were payments to an account belonging to Bounty’s husband.
Through researching financial records, Donovan added, authorities concluded that Bounty used the organization’s credit card to pay for personal expenses. In addition, Donovan wrote, investigators believe Bounty also paid her husband more than $42,283 with money from the organization.
According to the court filing, Bounty said the payments to her husband, Nermin Elezovic, were for work he had done as a contractor for the organization.
However, Heather Hurlbert, the organization’s interim executive director, told police that had Bounty’s husband been a contractor, there would have been a contract and tax documents. Neither of those were on file, Donovan wrote.
Authorities also claimed that Bounty “regularly” used the organization’s credit card for personal groceries, dining out, personal shopping expenses, “luxury” car rentals and other non-business related expenses, the court filing stated.
The nonprofit organization, which receives state and federal funds to help promote and support local businesses, is one of 12 regional development corporations across the state.
The embezzlement charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Bounty and her attorney, Brooks McArthur, both declined comment following the hearing. Jon Valsangiacomo, an attorney for the organization’s board of directors, also declined comment after the hearing.
