The Eyrie

HOLLYWOOD, FL — Four people have been arrested in Broward County after police said they took advantage of a 71-year-old man with dementia, stole his Hollywood home and possessions, and later abandoned him at a rooming house in Miami Gardens. Authorities say the case began as deed fraud and escalated into kidnapping and exploitation of an elderly person.

The victim, Thomas Hegarty, was allegedly pushed into signing a power of attorney document and warranty deed while his mental state was deteriorating, according to a news release provided by the Broward County Property Appraiser’s office. Investigators say the deed was then falsely notarized and the home was transferred to a company owned by two of the accused. The property was valued at more than $300,000.

Investigators say the property was moved into company hands through false paperwork

Authorities identified the suspects as real estate investors Brandon Lee Miguel and Jordy Luis Perez, both 25; notary public Derek Enrique, 43; and realtor Monica Elizabeth Castelli, 56. Together, they face a combined 15 criminal charges tied to the alleged fraud, kidnapping and exploitation case.

According to investigators, the group claimed they had bought Hegarty’s home for $191,000. Police and county officials say Hegarty never received any money from the deal. They also say the defendants used the allegedly forged deed to move the property into the control of a company connected to Miguel and Perez.

The Broward County Property Appraiser’s office worked on the investigation alongside law enforcement. None of the charges have been proven in court.

Police say the victim lost his home, belongings and three cars

Officials say the theft did not stop with the house. Hegarty’s home was cleared of his possessions, including heirlooms and other personal items, and three cars were also taken from the property. His sister-in-law, Peggy Hegarty, said the family realized how much had been lost only after the scheme began to come into focus.

She told NBC 6 that her brother-in-law “lost everything” and described him as shocked and depressed after the incident. Peggy Hegarty said he was not eating. Local 10 News reported that the hospital later contacted her, after she had already raised the alarm about the suspicious property transfer.

Authorities say the episode left the family trying to sort out both the personal damage and the legal fight over the home. The property has already been rented out, adding another layer to the dispute over ownership.

The family’s warning helped launch Operation Dirty Deed

Peggy Hegarty said she alerted authorities after noticing the suspicious transfer of her brother-in-law’s house. That tip helped start what investigators called Operation Dirty Deed, the effort that led to the arrests in the case.

Broward County Property Appraiser general counsel and director of administration Mila K. Schwartzreich said the investigation is still active and that officials believe there may be additional victims. That suggests investigators are still trying to determine whether the accused were involved in other property thefts beyond Hegarty’s case.

Even with arrests made, the family still faces the challenge of trying to regain control of the property. County officials and police have not said how long the house may have been under fraudulent ownership before the case was uncovered.

Real estate fraud is rising nationwide as seniors remain vulnerable

The Broward County case fits into a broader pattern of deed fraud that federal authorities say is increasing across the country. The FBI reported 12,368 known real estate fraud cases last year, with losses topping $275 million, up from $173.5 million the year before.

The FBI’s Boston division also warned last year that scammers were increasingly targeting older adults by tricking them into transferring property ownership or by impersonating owners with forged documents. In many cases, homeowners do not realize what has happened until the damage is already done, and some end up paying significant sums to try to recover their homes.

First American Title says seniors can be especially vulnerable because of wealth concentration, cognitive decline and high trust levels. Those factors can make them attractive targets for fraudsters who look for easy access to property records and paperwork.

How families can spot warning signs and respond quickly

Legal and consumer experts say warning signs can include unexplained changes in utility bills, default notices or loan documents arriving out of nowhere, a sudden stop in property tax payments, or contact from unknown mortgage lenders. For older relatives, other red flags may include isolation, new people suddenly hovering around them, or a surprise change in phone number or email address.

Attorneys also recommend checking property titles and deeds through local government resources on a regular basis, especially when a loved one may be vulnerable. Families are urged to watch for suspicious signatures or unexplained changes to important documents and to keep estate planning paperwork and powers of attorney in order.

Experts say open family communication can also make a difference, along with bank alerts for unusual activity and careful limits on personal information shared online. If deed fraud is suspected, they advise contacting law enforcement immediately, just as Peggy Hegarty did in this case.