Southern Utah property manager accused of embezzling $1.9 million

CEDAR CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A Cedar City property manager was taken into custody on Wednesday, accused of embezzling over $1.9 million from a client through unlawful withdrawals, checks, and wire transfers.

Blake Floyd Cozzens, 35, is now facing 10 charges of second-degree felony unlawful fiduciary dealing in amounts greater than $5,000.

According to court documents, authorities were tipped off about Cozzens’ alleged embezzling after an attorney for the client pointed out suspicious activity on a bank account. Investigators then found two State Bank of Southern Utah bank accounts where Cozzens was listed as the sole signer.

“Both accounts showed multiple transactions ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars that the complainant states were not authorized by the victim entity or its governing body,” a booking affidavit states.

Investigators say there were more than 19 transactions in excess of $5,000, totaling more than $1.9 million in the form of checks, wire transfers, and in-person withdrawals. Many of the transactions were allegedly sent to an account where Cozzens is listed as a sole signer, with multiple in-person withdrawals coming after large transfers were made from the victim’s accounts.

Both accounts were reportedly empty as of Nov. 30, 2024.

Court documents say Cozzens has “caused multiple members of the public to fear for their lives and those of their families if he is released.” He was safely taken into custody and ordered to be held without bail, pending a pretrial hearing, per court records.

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