Florida cop accused of taking dead man's home and assuming his identity for 4 years was caught after allegedly spending $214,000 on renovations

That isn’t the plot of a daytime TV crime drama. It’s a real, alleged crime that authorities say unfolded in South Florida over the past four years. Police officer Brian Louis Sguros was arrested in October in connection with a years-long alleged scam in which he took possession of a home owned by the late Dennis Ionis West.

Back in July 2022, Sguros allegedly was on the job and responded to a welfare check along with another officer at West’s home, according to WPLG’s Local 10, a local TV station in Miami. West’s body was discovered near the front entrance; it was later determined he had passed away from cardiovascular disease.

A few weeks later, Sguros allegedly moved into West’s home, where he lived for four years. He faces five criminal charges, including official misconduct and criminal use of a deceased person’s identification information. None of the charges have been proven in court.

While this is an exceptional case — since it involves a police officer — the alleged scam itself isn’t uncommon. It’s called deed fraud or title fraud, in which fraudsters target vacant properties, inherited estates and second homes.

There were 12,368 real estate fraud complaints filed in 2025 with losses totalling more than $275 million, according to the FBI’s 2025 IC3 Report. Older adults accounted for $123.6 million of that.

But you can still be very much alive — and living in your home — to become a target. And if you have a paid-off mortgage, you could be at higher risk.

How a cop allegedly took over a vacant home

During the investigation after his death, Sguros allegedly claimed to be West’s friend and that he couldn’t locate any living relatives. Weeks later, he moved into West’s home with his partner, using West’s name. He also used police databases to access personally identifiable information.

Sguros lived in West’s home for four years, paying property taxes and utility bills — again, under West’s name — and even poured his own money into sprucing up the home. He claims to have spent $214,000 on renovations, according to WPLG.

But, as it turns out, West did have surviving heirs, who were eventually located by Equinox Realty Holdings, which then acquired the property rights. But when the firm showed up at the property, they discovered Sguros living there.

Sguros agreed to hand over the keys — and he may have even gotten away with his scam — but then he decided to sue for reimbursement of the money he spent on renovations.

Equinox Realty Holdings’ attorney filed a complaint with the Lauderhill Police Department, and Sguros has since been arrested and charged. He’s currently on leave without pay.

How to protect yourself against deed fraud

Deed or title fraud is a form of identity theft. A fraudster typically uses stolen information or fake IDs to impersonate you. By forging your signature and submitting false paperwork to the county recorder’s office, they can make it look like you authorized the transfer of your property.

When looking for targets, they often choose homes with a paid-off mortgage, since there’s less oversight.

If you don’t live in the house, or it belongs to a deceased relative, a fraudster could move in — like Sguros allegedly did. But they could also take out a loan against your property, such as a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or refinance your mortgage to cash out on your equity. They could even sell your home to another buyer who has no idea they’re also being scammed.

The first step in protecting yourself is to keep your identity as secure as possible. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, and keep an eye out for any missing bills or changes to your mortgage payments.