Kelly Gearhart, Developer
Atascadero land developer Kelly Gearhart and onetime Atascadero “Person of the Year” awaits trial.
In August 2012, Gearhart pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering at a federal court in Los Angeles. He faces up to 300 years in federal prison if convicted on all charges.
Gearhart and the former president of Hurst Financial, James Miller, have been accused of helping to defraud more than 1,200 investors of more than $100 million in an alleged Ponzi scheme. Miller and Gearhart bilked investors who put money into Central Coast real estate projects and then siphoned off the monies for other purposes, including maintaining lavish lifestyles, federal authorities alleged.
The "Continue Reading" links open in a new window or tab.
Print 
PDFStewart Title $10.5 million settlement in the works
By KAREN VELIE More than 400 investors who were defrauded by former North County developer Kelly Gearhart will receive a portion of their losses if all parties agree to a proposed $10,530,570 settlement claim to be paid by Stewart Title. Gearhart and James Miller, the former president of Hurst Financial, defrauded more than 1,200 investors […]... (Continue Reading)
Exclusive: Kelly Gearhart pleads guilty
By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN Developer Kelly Gearhart pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in a Los Angeles federal court Wednesday morning. His plea came in a case in which he was accused of stealing more than $100 million from investors in real estate development projects. […]... (Continue Reading)
Kelly Gearhart and James Miller receive another reprieve
By KAREN VELIE For the fifth time, former North County developer Kelly Gearhart’s fraud trial and Hurst Financial president James Miller’s sentencing hearing have been delayed. A federal judge continued Gearhart’s trial from Feb. 18 to June 17. Miller’s hearing has been continued from March 17 to Sept. 8. “Failure to grant the requested continuance […]... (Continue Reading)
Kelly Gearhart’s trial delayed a fourth time
By KAREN VELIE For the fourth time, former Atascadero “Person of the Year” and prominent North County land developer Kelly Gearhart’s fraud trial has been delayed. Gearhart’s public defender, Kim Savo, successfully requested another delay in her client’s trial originally scheduled for Oct. 9, 2012. Savo noted a variety of reasons for the early delays […]... (Continue Reading)
Gearhart properties to be auctioned
By KAREN VELIE Three of former north county developer Kelly Gearhart’s properties will be sold at auction in October including the Paso Robles golf course property known as Vista del Hombre. A New York firm will hold the auction on Oct. 16 at the Courtyard by Marriot in Paso Robles at 11 a.m. for Gearhart’s […]... (Continue Reading)
Kelly Gearhart’s trial delayed again
For the second time, onetime Atascadero “Person of the Year” and prominent North County land developer Kelly Gearhart’s trial has been delayed. Gearhart’s public defender, Kim Savo, requested the delay that has postponed the trial from Jan. 29 to June 11 for a variety of reasons including the need to have more time to review […]... (Continue Reading)
Gearhart pleads not guilty to fraud
By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN Onetime Atascadero “Person of the Year” Kelly Gearhart pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering at his arraignment Monday at a federal court in Los Angeles. The former North County developer faces up to 300 years in federal prison if convicted on […]... (Continue Reading)
Gearharts want their wedding ring back
By KAREN VELIE Former north San Luis Obispo County developer Kelly Gearhart and his wife Tamara Gearhart have asked a federal bankruptcy court in Ohio to allow them to purchase her wedding ring back for $814. As the result of the sale of a property on Dalton Drive in Wadsworth Ohio, the court owes the […]... (Continue Reading)
Gearhart indicted, facing 300 years in federal prison
Update: Under the original story. Onetime Atascadero “Person of the Year” and prominent North County land developer Kelly Gearhart has been indicted by a federal grand jury and faces 16 charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Investigators are calling it a “multi-million-dollar case.” Assistant United States Attorney Stephen I. Goorvitch of the […]... (Continue Reading)
Court bars Gearhart tax sale
An Ohio court barred the San Luis Obispo County tax collector from selling former North County developer Kelly Gearhart’s properties at auction during a hearing on Monday. As of June 6, Gearhart, his wife Tamara Gearhart, and several of their subsidiaries owed SLO County $537,987 in property taxes, fees and penalties. In her ruling, Judge […]... (Continue Reading)
