MOORPARK : Realtor Finds Ely Name Is Troublesome

The answer is no, Ventura County Realtor Bob Ely is not related to Community College District Trustee Tom Ely.

Bob Ely said employees in his Moorpark office are constantly being asked by potential customers and other inquiring minds if their boss is any relation to the college district trustee, whose name has become all too familiar to county residents.

After a five-month investigation by the district attorney’s office, Tom Ely and his wife, Ingrid, were recently charged with embezzling more than $15,000 in college district funds by padding their expense reports with improper claims.

“I want to let people know that there is no relation, that I never met the guy, that I don’t know him and that he is not affiliated with my company in any way,” said Bob Ely, who recently took out ads in two local newspapers stating just that.

He said he was concerned that the confusion over his name may be hurting his business, known simply as Bob Ely Realty Inc., which sells $100 million worth of real estate a year.

“The name Ely is unusual enough that people perceive that all Elys are related,” he said. “If it was Smith, there would be no problem at all.”

Bob Ely, whose main office is in Westlake Village, said the majority of his business is centered in the Conejo Valley. He said he did not start having problems until he opened an office in Moorpark in June.

“In Moorpark, everybody seems to know Tom Ely, but they don’t know me very well,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re getting the word out that there is no relation here.”