By Joseph Serna, Staff Writer
Signal Hill resident Gene Gluhareff, a business owner in the city, was arrested at his place of business May 22 on felony embezzlement counts for allegedly using his property management company to target property owners and homeowner associations.
Gluhareff’s business, the Benchmark Real Property Management Company, has been closed since his arrest two weeks ago. Police were notified of the potential crime by two of Gluhareff’s clients, members of a local homeowner association. Their complaint earlier this month triggered the investigation, said Signal Hill Police Operations Capt. Ron Mark.
Gluhareff was arraigned on five counts of embezzling money from clients and released on his own recognizance that same week, Mark said.
Once the investigation began, Gluhareff resigned from his position as a Signal Hill Police Department volunteer and did not answer multiple phone calls.
Mark said the investigation is ongoing, if anyone has any information, they are asked to call Signal Hill detectives at (562) 989-7220.
Gluhareff’s court case is now pending.
