Florida police officer allegedly takes over dead man’s home using his identity. Then demands heirs pay for his renovations
He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate the property.
A police officer in Lauderhill, Florida, is facing several charges after a welfare check allegedly led him to assume the identity of a deceased man and take over his home over the next several years. A lawsuit seeking reimbursement for the renovations was what ultimately led to the discovery of the alleged fraud.
On July 11, 2022, 35-year-old Lauderhill Police officer Brian Louis Sguros responded to a welfare check on 71-year-old Dennis Ionis West when a neighbor became concerned after not seeing him for over a week. Sguros and another officer arrived to find West’s body, with autopsy reports indicating he passed away naturally from a cardiovascular disease, per Local 10 News.
Body camera footage did not indicate that Sguros was familiar with West, but records showed the officer had identified himself as the deceased’s friend during post-mortem exams. He later offered to handle the funeral arrangements.
Florida officer used his own funds in renovating home
“Sguros represented himself to the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office as West’s friend, although there is no indication he knew West,” the Broward Sheriff’s Office said, according to the SunSentinel. “[He] stated that West had no living family, which was untrue.”
On Aug. 1, 2022, Sguros took over West’s home in Florida without legal authority, which he later admitted to in sworn court documents, according to the affidavit. Sguros allegedly spent the next two years following West’s death remodeling the home, pouring $214,000 of his personal funds into renovations to protect it from squatters and criminal activity, authorities said. Property value reportedly increased to $500,000 following his renovations.
In August 2024, Sguros allegedly used West’s identity to obtain building permits for an $8,000 project to replace the home’s doors and windows. West was reportedly listed as the property owner on the paperwork, which also included his driver’s license information and a signature believed to belong to West.
The papers also indicated that West appeared before a notary. However, the notary named in the documents denied any knowledge of them, asserting that the signature was not theirs and that the notary stamp differed in size from the one they use.
Property records showed that Sguros continued to pay taxes and over $2,500 in utilities under West’s name. Per the affidavit, Sguros and another person attempted to claim ownership of the home through adverse possession by filing paperwork in February 2025.
Sguros was discovered because he wanted reimbursement
Sguros was also accused of using his law enforcement position to obtain information on West, including his personal information, Social Security number, and DMV records. Authorities said Sguros used his Lauderhill Police-issued computer seven times between July 2022 and January 2023.
Sguros’ alleged fraud came to light when Equinox Realty Holdings informed the Florida officer that West’s heirs were seeking to claim the property. Sguros agreed to give the keys, but filed a lawsuit against the heirs in February 2026, seeking reimbursement for the renovations he had done on the property.
Equinox Realty Holdings later filed a complaint with Lauderhill Police over Sguros’ alleged use of his position to access West’s information. The police department put Sguros on suspension with pay in July, before being placed on unpaid leave when he was arrested on Tuesday.
Sguros is currently facing several charges, including unlawful use of a two-way communications device, criminal use of personal identification information, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification information, offense against a computer user, and official misconduct.
“We hold police officers in the highest regard because they take an oath to protect the public,” Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar told Local 10 News. “This case is so troubling because this officer has been charged with using his position to defraud the public. I want to thank our BCPA Crimes Against Property Team and the Broward Sheriff’s Office for their detailed and thorough investigation.”
Sguros is currently detained at Broward County Jail.
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