A Santa Barbara woman faces up to nine years in state prison after pleading guilty to felony charges involving the embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly Montecito woman.

The pleas by Nancy Lee Elizabeth Coglizer, 56, were entered last week before Judge Von Deroian in Superior Court in Santa Barbara.

Coglizer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit elder financial abuse, and one count of elder financial abuse, according the Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian J. Cota.

She also admitted enhancements stating that the amount stolen from Constance McCormick Fearing was in excess of $500,000, and that she committed several overt acts of conspiracy, Cota told Noozhawk.

Coglizer was a bookkeeper and then a trustee with power of attorney for Fearing, who was in her 90s at the time of the embezzlement. Coglizer was accused of colluding with Santa Barbara private investigator Craig Alan Case.

The crimes occurred between 2018 and 2021, and Fearing died in 2022 at age 94.

Over 2½ years, Coglizer wrote 104 checks to Case from Fearing’s bank account, which he cashed, prosecutors allege.

Case is the owner of Case Detective Agency, which offers private investigations and private security. His job means he would have been familiar with how people try to hide theft and embezzlement, prosecutors allege.

This is a typical case of embezzlement by a fiduciary, in that Coglizer held power of attorney when she embezzled, the District Attorney’s Office wrote in a preliminary hearing brief.

“What is atypical about this case, however, is that Coglizer did not benefit from a single dollar of the $690,000 that she embezzled from Ms. Fearing,” Cota wrote.

“This is because her co-defendant, Craig Case, manipulated and took advantage of Coglizer’s mental health issues, due to the loss of her mother, and her resulting alcohol dependency, and convinced and conspired with Coglizer to breach her fiduciary duty to Ms. Fearing for his benefit and his benefit alone.”

The case alleges that Coglizer wrote the checks from Fearing’s bank account from October 2018 to April 2021. Both Coglizer and Case were aware what they were doing was illegal, prosecutors said.

Cota noted that “there was no plea deal in the case. It was an open plea to the court.”

That means it will be up to Deroian to decide the length of Coglizer’s prison sentence. She also will determine how much financial restitution Coglizer will be ordered to pay.

Cota said that Coglizer is not in custody, and will return to court Nov. 12 for sentencing.

“I’ve made no promises to her,” Cota said. “She has agreed to cooperate and testify in the case against Craig Case.”

Case, 76, has been charged with more than 50 felony counts, including conspiracy, elder financial abuse, grand theft, preparing false documents, money laundering, and tax evasion.

His trial was due to start this week, Cota said, but likely will be delayed until December or January due to scheduling conflicts.

Case remains in custody at Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $700,000.

A civil lawsuit against Case and Coglizer is being pursued by attorneys for Fearing’s estate. Coglizer also has filed a civil lawsuit against Case. Action in those matters is pending completion of the criminal cases. 

Fearing, an avid art collector, was a member and heiress of the McCormick family, founders of the International Harvester Co., and owners of the original 84-acre Riven Rock estate in Montecito.

Prior to her death, Fearing owned and lived at the 17-acre Oakhaven Estate in Romero Canyon.