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Florida cop arrested for allegedly stealing dead man’s identity, taking over his home
The Florida cop is facing five felony charges following an investigation.
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A Florida police officer was arrested after allegedly impersonating a dead man whose body he found during a welfare check in 2022. The authorities claimed that he used the deceased man's identity for years to take control of his home.
According to a news release by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Lauderhill Police Officer Brian Louis Sguros forged documents, paid utilities, and used law enforcement databases to orchestrate a property theft scheme before his arrest on multiple felony charges.
“According to investigators, Sguros filed paperwork with BCPA in Feb. 2025 stating his possession of the property dated back to Aug. 2022, just weeks after West’s [Dennis West] death.”
What are the allegations?
The police stated, “The investigation revealed that the Lauderhill Police officer assisted on a welfare check of a Lauderhill resident in 2022 and, after finding the individual deceased of natural causes, created a complex scheme to take control of the individual’s home.”
The department added that Sguros responded to the welfare check call on July 11, 2022 at 4551 N.W. 12th Street in Lauderhill.
“The resident, Dennis West, was deceased inside the home. Following his death, detectives say Sguros became involved in West’s post-death affairs.” The cop even visited the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office posing as West’s friend and told the authorities that he had no living family.
The investigators say that they didn’t find any evidence suggesting Sguros and West were friends. Further, they said that Sguros’ claim that West had no living family was untrue.
The investigation revealed that “Sguros paid the taxes and utilities at the home in West’s name.” He allegedly used “West’s identification to make it appear that West was still alive to get the city of Lauderhill to issue a permit to facilitate repairs.”
The authorities believe that he forged West’s signature on the permit, adding that Sguros got information about the dead man using his access to law enforcement databases.
What charges is he facing?
He is facing several felony charges following the joint investigation conducted by the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office Crimes Against Property Unit.
“On Oct. 20, 2026, Brian Louis Sguros was arrested on charges of 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.”
"What's so upsetting is officers are supposed to uphold the law, and instead he's defrauding people," Broward Property Appraiser Marty Kair told CBS News.
"If you have a property, do a will, name heirs," Kair said. "It's much less likely your loved ones will be defrauded."
Sguros left the Broward County Jail after posting his $25,000 bond. The investigation into the matter is underway.
