Plant City Man Accused Of Faking Mortgage Documents To Obtain Property

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas County sheriff's detectives have arrested a 37-year-old Plant City man following a lengthy fraud investigation.

The investigation began in January 2019 after detectives received information about possible fraudulent activity by Michael Bogsted, a self-employed licensed real estate broker in Florida, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives said they learned Bogsted targeted at least six properties going to tax auctions that appeared to be abandoned or were owned by homeowners that could not afford to pay taxes on the property.

Detectives said Bogsted created fraudulent deeds, fictitious releases of mortgages and satisfaction of mortgage documents by forging signatures and using fake notary stamps. Detectives said he filed the fake deeds electronically on an online real estate transaction website, transferring ownership to various entities to obtain control of the property on paper.

According to detectives, Bogsted then sold the properties to unsuspecting third parties or took out mortgages on the properties.

The investigation determined the minimum amount of cash profit Bogsted received from the six properties was approximately $327,000. The market value of the six properties in 2019 was about $1,071,000.

On Tuesday, detectives went to Bogsted's home in Plant City and took him into custody.

Bogsted was charged with scheme to defraud and transported to the Hillsborough County Jail.