Lauderhill Police officer Brian Louis Sguros was accused of using a dead homeowner's identity and his own position on the force in a scheme to take control of a South Florida home worth over $400,000.
Here's what to know
News4Jax reported Sguros was arrested Oct. 20 and charged with official misconduct, criminal use of deceased personal identification, criminal use of personal identification information, offense against computer user, and unlawful use of two-way communication device, according to a news release.
Investigators said the case began with a July 11, 2022, welfare check at the home of Dennis West, where Sguros was assigned as a backup officer.
A neighbor said West had not been seen for about two weeks, per the outlet. Officers found West dead inside the residence, and investigators determined he died of natural causes.
Investigators said that after West's death, Sguros inserted himself into West's personal and financial affairs. They said records from the medical examiner's office showed Sguros identified himself as West's friend and said West had no living relatives. Investigators reported finding no evidence the men knew one another.
Authorities also alleged Sguros volunteered to arrange West's funeral and took custody of his remains. They noted he used West's Florida driver's license in a way that made it appear West was still alive.
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More background
Investigators said paperwork connected to a notarized building permit and a contract for work at the house bore West's signature, News4Jax reported.
According to investigators, the notary whose seal was used on those papers said she did not recognize the documents and that the signatures attributed to her were not hers.
Authorities alleged the welfare check was the first step in an attempt to seize the property.
"What's so upsetting about this case is you have a person that's supposed to uphold the law and protect people, yet this officer has been accused of violating the law and defrauding people," Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar told News4Jax.
What's being done?
The case was developed through a joint investigation involving the Broward County Sheriff's Office and Broward County Property Appraiser's Office.
The release stated detectives from the Property Appraiser's Office Crimes Against Property Unit also worked on the case. That unit includes investigators from several local and state law enforcement agencies.
"Sguros ran out of the Broward Jail with his face covered after he posted bond," News4Jax stated.
Where can I learn more?
This case is one of several stories involving alleged fraud, abuse of authority, and the loss of homes.
• In Houston, a woman allegedly posed as a county inspector before her son got an 87-year-old's home for $10.
• In Philadelphia, 152 deed fraud reports surfaced in 2026, and one family says a home was taken for $1.
• In Mesa, Arizona, an HOA bought a $475,000 home after foreclosure over $977 in debt.
• In Pennsylvania, a credit union board member was accused of using an older woman's $1 million on a Kentucky hunting lodge.
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