BOSTON — The Attorney General’s Office has announced that Andrew Piltser Cowan, aged 42, from Somerville, entered a guilty plea in Suffolk Superior Court for three counts of fiduciary embezzlement. Piltser Cowan received a sentence of 2.5 years in the House of Correction, which is suspended for three years, followed by three years of probation. Additionally, he is required to pay $917,988 in restitution and undergo a mental health evaluation while adhering to any recommended treatment. He is also prohibited from handling assets on behalf of others.
Piltser Cowan was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2008 and established PiltserCowan Law, LLC in 2018. During his tenure at the firm, he was appointed trustee for three trust accounts with named beneficiaries. From 2019 to 2022, he embezzled funds from these accounts. This act left the beneficiaries without significant funds due to them—funds intended as an inheritance for one victim, educational pursuits for others, and a financial safety net for another.
In October 2023, Piltser Cowan was disbarred after embezzling approximately $945,000 from three trust accounts. These funds were used to support his struggling law firm and cover personal expenses.
Deputy Chief Elizabeth Burke from the AGO’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division managed this case. The division investigates and prosecutes serious criminal misconduct involving crimes against public agencies and employees that undermine public confidence in government institutions.