Two people were taken into custody for a multi-million dollar mortgage foreclosure surplus fraud scheme in Orange County.
FDLE Orlando officers arrested Douglas Murphy Jr., 33, and Erika Elsa Sarita, 49, after it was discovered that the two were running a multi-million-dollar mortgage surplus fraud operation.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation began on August 7, 2025, when the Office of Statewide Prosecution informed FDLE investigators of a fraud operation involving the illegal acquisition of foreclosure surplus cash via fake court filings. Two unidentified persons, later identified as Douglas Lorenzo Murphy, Jr., and Ericka Elsa Sarita, employed many attorneys and law firms to electronically submit falsified paperwork to the Orange County Clerk of Court, reassigning legal rights to foreclosure surplus cash.
The Central Florida investigation discovered that Murphy and Sarita took foreclosure excess cash from the Clerk of Court between 2018 and 2026 using false legal documents, stolen identities, falsified corporate structures, and money laundering. Furthermore, the investigation discovered that Murphy unlawfully took and utilized a deceased person’s identity. He fraudulently pretended to be a relative, opened financial accounts in the deceased’s name, authorized the cremation, and took ownership of the remains.
Further investigation revealed that Murphy and Sarita attempted to illegally acquire over $5.5 million in mortgage foreclosure surplus and estate funds, receiving approximately $2.6 million for their personal profit.
FDLE agents secured arrest warrants for Douglas Murphy and Ericka Sarita. Both were detained on the same day and brought to the Orange County Jail in Orlando.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Douglas Lorenzo Murphy Jr. and Ericka Elsa Sarita on one count each of aggravated white-collar crime, organized fraud, criminal use of personal identification information involving ten or more victims, and two counts of money laundering of $100,000 or more.
The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecutions is handling the case. The inquiry is still ongoing, according to law enforcement.
Leave a Reply