Belsher loses motion, SLO home to be sold Wednesday at sheriff’s auction
July 15, 2025
John Belsher on a private jet
By KAREN VELIE
A judge on Tuesday denied attorney John Belsher’s motion that his children have rights to his former home in San Luis Obispo. Belsher’s home on El Cerrito Street is slated to be sold at a sheriff’s auction on Wednesday to help pay a $3.6 million fraud judgement.
For years, Belsher bilked his clients out of millions of dollars while living a life of luxury. On May 23, 2024, Superior Court Judge Michael Kelley ordered Belsher and his partner Ryan Petetit-Wright to pay a more than $3.6 million judgement to Jeff and Debora Chase.
After the Chases’ lawsuit was filed, John and Jody Belsher resigned as trustees of a trust that held their home on El Cerrito Street. The couple then appointed one of their children as trustee, a change that was not reported to the court.
While the Chases worked to force a sale of the home, Belsher argued the property was in an irrevocable trust and that he had no control or benefit from the property.
Judge Kelley rejected Belsher’s arguments and ruled that the Chases could hold a sheriff’s auction.
After losing multiple motions to stop the sale, John Belsher filed another third party claim regarding his children.
On June 27, 2025, Belsher argued that he and his wife Jody Belsher, in reliance on the court’s finding that the trust was revocable, amended the Trust with his wife as trustee to be governed Michigan law. Belsher reported “the remainder of the trust is unaltered including the interests of the Belsher children.”
Judge Kelly ruled Wednesday that the trust is revocable, rendering all assets of the trust subject to levy to enforce the judgement.
The auction of the 2606 El Cerrito Street property is scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 16 at the San Luis Obispo Courthouse, room 236.
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