Del Mar property manager embezzled $1M-plus from real-estate firm: SDSO

A man and woman were in custody Friday on suspicion of embezzling more than $1 million from a real estate firm which owns an apartment complex in Del Mar.

Julie Blease, 53, worked for the real estate firm as a property manager for more than 25 years until she was terminated in 2021. The apartment complex is in the 2800 block of Camino Del Mar.

The theft was first reported in late 2021 to the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station. The Sheriff’s Fraud and Elder Abuse Unit discovered during an investigation that Blease allegedly manipulated the company’s accounting records to cover the misappropriated funds, according to Sgt. Marcello Orsini of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s.

Blease was arrested Wednesday at her home in San Diego and was booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry in Santee facility on suspicion of five felony counts of embezzlement, identity theft, forgery and money laundering with a white-collar crime enhancement. She was scheduled to be arraigned Friday.

Colin Miller, 56, was arrested Thursday in Poway, Orsini said. He was booked at the Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of five felony charges of grand theft, identity theft, forgery, and money laundering with a white-collar crime enhancement. The enhancement increases the penalty for felony fraud cases. His arraignment was scheduled for Monday.