Costa Mesa woman pleads not guilty to embezzling $265,000 from Laguna Beach business

A Costa Mesa woman accused of embezzling more than $265,000 from a Laguna Beach business has pleaded not guilty to four counts of felony grand theft, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

Nhora Tellez last week also denied sentencing enhancement allegations of aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and property damage over $200,000, court records show.

Authorities say Tellez, 38, was a bookkeeper and an office manager for Laguna Coast Corp., a marketing agency, when she changed the passwords for all the business owner’s investment and credit card accounts.

Tellez created passwords for each online account, and notifications of access or fraud went to an email address assigned to Tellez, Laguna Beach police Cpl. Ryan Hotchkiss wrote in a court document in support of increasing her bail.

According to Hotchkiss, fraudulent charges were made for plane tickets, veterinarian visits, Disney passes and a Louis Vuitton handbag. Authorities obtained footage from ATMs throughout south Orange County showing Tellez withdrawing cash advances from at least one of the business owner’s accounts, Hotchkiss wrote.

The owner noticed that money was missing from his accounts and notified police in 2016. Authorities allege Tellez embezzled $265,390.

She is being held in Orange County Jail with bail set at $260,000, according to court and jail records.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN