COP OR DROP?

Cop Accused of Twisted Scheme After Finding Man Dead

Investigators claim a South Florida cop turned a routine welfare check into a years-long real estate grab.

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A South Florida police officer was booked on multiple felony charges after allegedly orchestrating a scheme to hijack a deceased man’s identity, access his private records, and take over his home. Authorities arrested Brian Louis Sguros on Oct. 20, following a joint investigation that uncovered his alleged actions after responding to a 2022 welfare call in Lauderhill—a suburban municipality near Fort Lauderdale. Upon discovering resident Dennis West dead of natural causes inside the residence, investigators say Sguros immediately inserted himself into the man’s post-death affairs. Detectives allege the officer falsely claimed to be a close personal friend of West and lied to county medical examiners by stating the man had no living relatives. Sguros then allegedly spent years maintaining the illusion that West was still alive—paying the home’s utility bills and property taxes under the deceased man’s name. To facilitate home repairs, Sguros forged West’s signature on municipal permit applications and repeatedly searched law enforcement databases to collect additional personal details. By Feb. 2025, Sguros officially filed paperwork claiming ownership of the property. Sguros now faces charges including official misconduct and criminal use of personal identification.