Man receives $27 million utility bill due to software glitch, sparking legal saga

Most of us experience increased energy bills this time of year.

Cold weather plays a huge role in additional utilities usage, electric and natural gas, especially.

A Campbell man's Malden Board of Public Works (BPW) bill, dated Jan. 23, with a $373.20 previous balance, was a bit more than any of us would care to consider.

David Cooper, 65, of 36840 Mo. WW, Campbell, received a bill for $27,845,386.02.

That's $27M-illion.

With an uppercase M.

But just wait.

That's not all.

Cooper said the bill in question was for a property of his at 516 S. Decatur St., a rental property that was occupied and allegedly trashed by the tenant after utilities were discontinued, but before it was vacated, he told the council.

And somehow, Malden Municipal Court Judge John Welch swore out four warrants for Cooper's arrest for failing to appear (FTA) in court to address the citations.

Court documents indicated Cooper was citedon May, 8, 2024, four times for non-abatement of 514 S. Decatur, each citation dated identically.

Two citations indicated they were written at 510 S. Madison St., and two indicated 306 W. Park St., neither mentioning 516 S. Decatur, nor his physical home address at Campbell.

His case was continued by the court at least twice before Welch issued a warrant for Cooper's arrest last October, for FTA regarding the nusicance charges, according to court filings.

Cooper was detained during a traffic stop in November 2024 and told about his four warrants, each of them accompanied by a $100 bond, just before he was taken to jail.

His bonds were refunded in December, and he petitioned the court for a change of judge, court records indicated.

He appeared before the Malden City Council at Monday's meeting and asked councilors to dismiss the court charges and to explain his $27M utility bill for 516 S. Decatur St.

Cooper said he thought the error was about water usage until he read the entire document.

"I can understand somebody making a key mistake if it was five or 10 zeroes," Cooper told councilors. "But these numbers look like they were pulled from thin air."

The utility bill issue simply was a software error, a computer glitch, said Malden City Administrator and Board of Public Works Supervisor Ivone Smith.

The city invested in new computers and new software programs to accompany the controversial Community Center remodel.

And, an occasional glitch occurs between the new software programs and BPW digital electric meters, which the city invstigates as they present themselves, Smith said.

The city administrator assured Cooper and those present that the issue would be addressed first thing Tuesday morning.

However, Cooper claimed his rental property "wouldn't have been torn apart," if the city had not shut down the rental property's utilities.

Malden Mayor Denton Kooyman said the city would investigate the utility bill concerns and that he would issue a statement about the bill for Cooper to evaluate.

"We can't do anything about the charges," Kooyman said. "That's for the court to decide.

"You already know the process," he continued. "But we'll investigate this utility bill. We'll get a proper look at it, and if you're owed money, we'll be happy to offer you a refund."