Real estate broker pleads guilty to scheme to steal homes through deed fraud

Real estate broker Michael Bogsted has changed his plea to guilty in a scheme to defraud case concerning stolen homes.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies accuse Bogsted of using deed fraud to steal at least six houses. Detectives allege he created fraudulent deeds and fictitious mortgage documents and transferred ownership to various entities so he could either take out a mortgage or sell to an unsuspecting buyer.