Florida Police Officer Accused of Taking Over Dead Man's Home, Suing Heirs for Renovation Costs

Florida police officer Brian Louis Sguros was arrested after investigators alleged he moved into a dead man's home, used the homeowner's identity for four years and later sued the man's heirs to recover more than $214,000 (£164,000) in renovation costs.

The 35‑year‑old Lauderhill Police Department officer was taken into custody on Tuesday in Broward County, Florida, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.

The case centres on Dennis Ionis West, a 71‑year‑old Lauderhill homeowner found dead at his front entrance on 11 July 2022 after a neighbour raised concerns. Officials determined that West died of natural causes from cardiovascular disease. Sguros was one of the officers who responded to the welfare check.

Investigators allege that Sguros did not simply leave the property after West's death. Court records cited by the Broward Sheriff's Office allege that he took possession of the house on 1 August 2022, without legal authority, and later acknowledged doing so in a sworn document.

How the Alleged Scheme Unfolded

The Broward Sheriff's Office alleges that Sguros told the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office he was West's friend, despite there being no indication the two men knew one another. He is also accused of saying West had no surviving relatives, which investigators said was untrue.

West did have heirs. But before they emerged, Sguros allegedly began treating the property as his own. Detectives said he paid taxes and utility bills in West's name and used the dead man's identification to make it appear that he was still alive.

The alleged deception extended to official paperwork. Sguros is accused of using West's identity, signature and driver's licence to obtain a City of Lauderhill permit for an $8,000 (€7,300 and £6,100) window and door replacement project.

The documents allegedly listed West as the living owner and appeared to show him signing paperwork before a notary in August 2024. The notary named on the forms told investigators that it was not her signature and that the stamp used was smaller than her own, according to reporting on the arrest affidavit.

Investigators allege Sguros used his department‑issued police computer to search West's name on several occasions and access his DMV and Social Security records. That allegation, if proven, would turn a routine welfare‑check response into an abuse of police access.

Renovations, Value and the Lawsuit

Sguros claimed he spent more than $214,000 (€196,000 and £164,000) of his own money refurbishing the neglected home. He said the work was intended to protect it from criminal activity and squatters, according to WPLG's reporting on the case.

The renovation allegedly included removing rotten boards and cleaning the property. The work was said to have raised its value to about $500,000 (€458,000 and £383,000). Those figures come from Sguros's own account and reporting on the investigation, rather than an independent valuation.

The alleged scheme began to unravel when Equinox Realty Holding contacted West's rightful heirs, who wanted to take back the house. Sguros agreed to return the keys but filed a civil lawsuit in February 2026 seeking reimbursement for the work he had carried out.

That legal move was followed by a complaint filed with the Lauderhill Police Department after the realty company's lawyer found that Sguros had allegedly misused his police role to obtain information about West.

Charges and Official Response

Sguros has worked for the Lauderhill Police Department since March 2021. He was suspended with pay in July, then placed on unpaid administrative leave after Tuesday's arrest, the department said.

He faces charges including falsifying official documents as a public servant, fraud involving the identification of a deceased person valued at $5,000 (€4,600 and £3,800), impersonation fraud over $5,000 (€4,600 and £3,800), computer crime to defraud and obtain property, and using two‑way communications to commit a felony.

He is being held at Broward County Jail, according to inmate records. The charges are allegations at this stage, and Sguros has not been convicted. IBTimes UK cannot independently verify every claim in the arrest affidavit, so the allegations should be treated as contested until tested in court.

Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar said the case was troubling because the officer was charged with using his position to defraud the public. 'We hold police officers in the highest regard because they take an oath to protect the public,' Kiar told WPLG.

Kiar thanked the Broward County Property Appraiser's Crimes Against Property Team and the Broward Sheriff's Office for what he called a detailed and thorough investigation.

Prosecutors will now have to prove their case in court, including the allegations over the use of a dead man's identity, access to police databases and forged paperwork relating to the home.