In a disturbing case from the US, a Florida police officer found a dead man during a routine welfare check and assumed his identity to take control of his house. The accused, identified as 35-year-old Brian Louis Sguros of the Lauderhill Police Department, was arrested on Tuesday (Oct 20) for fraud, falsifying official documents, computer crimes to fraudulently obtain property, and using two-way communications to facilitate a felony.
Florida police officer arrested for assuming a dead man’s identity to steal his house and commit fraud.
After his arrest, he was placed on administrative leave without pay from the police department. “On Oct. Sguros then got involved in the post-death affairs before lying to the medical examiner, claiming that West had no family while identifying himself as a friend.
Sguros appeared in court Wednesday (Oct 21) and was ordered held on a $25,000 bond. 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,” the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said.
He then had West’s body cremated and moved into his residence, according to a report in NBC News. “The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) detective overseeing the investigation indicated that Sguros also forged West’s signature on the permit,” the police said.
