A luxury Fort Lauderdale home was overrun by ten squatters, leaving it infested with bugs and significantly damaged, according to local officials. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office evicted the group, which included seven men, two women, and a child, last Tuesday. The property, located on Seabreeze Boulevard, was at the center of an alleged title fraud scheme.
The alleged ringleader, Tyrone Jones, reportedly fabricated a fictitious individual to act as the property's executor, enabling him to seize ownership of the million-dollar home illegally. Investigators believe Jones orchestrated similar fraudulent activities involving 14 other properties in the area, totaling a staggering $14 million in value. Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar revealed that Jones had been renting out the illegally acquired properties to unsuspecting tenants.
The situation came to light after a neighbor contacted Kiar’s office following a frightening incident where he discovered an intruder in his home in the middle of the night. The intruder, later identified as Kevin Bosley, was arrested for burglary but subsequently released on an ankle monitor. Unbeknownst to the neighbor, Bosley returned to the Seabreeze Boulevard property, which was part of Jones’ alleged scheme. Bosley was among the ten individuals evicted from the property last Tuesday.
Kiar emphasized the broader community impact of such crimes, noting that one of the squatters had been arrested for breaking and entering into a nearby home. He expressed gratitude for the cooperation of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Broward Sheriff’s Office in returning the property to its rightful owner. Kiar's office has been investigating squatting incidents for the past year and has handled 185 cases, each with its own unique circumstances. The squatters vacated the property without incident, and authorities have since changed the locks. Bosley, still wearing his ankle monitor, is required to inform his parole officer of the situation or risk facing arrest for violating his parole conditions.
