born july commonly known known american con man convicted conspiracy grand theft cox aspiring author wrote unpublished manuscript entitled associates main character traveled country committing mortgage fraud similarly cox later cox documents appear owned properties obtained times actual worth acquired millions dollars way estimates report million cox conviction occurred sentenced probation mortgage fraud fired mortgage broker position held tampa florida area firm began life dedicated criminal central florida offense fleeing area activities discovered crime continued southern eventually landing wanted list aided female prison served time participation fraudulent mortgage practices cox arrested november indicted counts facing prison sentences years plea sentence maximum years april sentenced years november currently low security prison florida story chronicled featured american greed fortune magazine playboy magazine media outlets early life born florida cox struggled school severe teachers advised job worked hands studied sculpture art follow art cox took job insurance agent college income disappointed sought different high paying work adult life tampa florida cox left job insurance agent work mortgage broker local company developed reputation heightened authorship unpublished page manuscript entitled associates novel protagonist written similar copy travels country committing mortgage fraud cox told workers book elaborated details sent lot people thought worked said worker fired company convicted mortgage fraud cox faked good credit history buy dozens homes properties instance social security number documents references bank letters rent receipts employees skills artist properties elaborate art style murals future said painting talents said works merely copies murals cox young local married woman believing wealthy luxurious life arnold said took crime films reportedly watched times began detail criminal plans cox filed fraudulent mortgage documents cases able mortgage properties times actual worth practice known real estate community cox forged attain inflated increase value detention officer acquired properties worth nearly making year job cox took advantage school district selling property value arranged financing house local politician recorded sale hired research claims unaware inflated sale price paid research female accomplice rented house cox schemes faked ownership property owner found fraud title company manager suspicious loan cox accomplice applying home called property real owner department contacted began investigation cox arnold grew apart eventually cox began woman divorced mother moved tampa falling debt declaring bankruptcy las_vegas committed criminal offenses meeting cox fired job las_vegas employer checks pay debts met online dating service unlike arnold willing leave son finding local newspaper investigating cox fled town days later december story entitled dubious housing deals line avenue arrived story detailed investment company started cox wife mother son shareholders despite involvement purchase sale properties years claimed remaining incapable operating managing urban equity company partners claimed unaware cox dealings financially ruined collapse company crime southern states cox travelled atlanta georgia settled fugitive failed report probation officers period traveled mobile alabama identity worker acquired credit cards credit needed rent home filing false documents indicated owned house cox took property thousand dollars took mortgage simpsons character montgomery burns cox acquired properties couple moved florida area authorities atlanta area discovered cox activities eventually identity august police issued arrest conspiracy stolen identification documents mail wire fraud money social security number fraud news broadcasts showed photos cox requested viewers provide information pertaining whereabouts spring couple authorities eighteen months dozens identities including ones stolen workers acquaintances cox stole identities homeless posing survey taking red_cross worker acquire social security numbers point remorse anxiety arnold called fbi confessed sentenced years prison numerous offenses including conspiracy commit bank fraud identity theft arnold ordered pay dollars victims shortly cox filed multiple houses columbia south_carolina week noticed fraud alert issued cox money bank accounts arrested returned bank transaction told authorities thirty cox time sullivan open police released shortly cox moved houston separated remained hiding assumed year later found arrested convicted numerous counts sentenced years prison years supervised release run authorities half years cox placed wanted list nashville tennessee week sentenced prison cox living nashville tennessee dating single mother unaware criminal past posing owner home restoration business told wealthy family silver decorated confirm cox passport travel europe cruise new friend wife spend time italy greece intense fear reported year old suspicious cox researched online discovered identity taylor contact attorney reporter family paid taylor cox address information reduce sentence temporarily escaped capture chance series events cox girlfriend home temporarily moved hotel november cox arrested half dozen agents pursuing years returned hotel building house fake identity credit history fortunately friend arrested payment sentence later reduced months result assistance cox capture prison cox faced counts fraud addition charges fleeing probation previous conviction facing potential prison sentences years negotiated plea bargain agreement gave maximum years million fine november federal judge sentenced cox years prison ordered cox pay million eligible release depending source estimates money cox obtained vary million million million believed properties cox serving year sentence low security facility florida ordered pay million testify conspirators united_states attorney office brought charges tampa area assistant attorney informed judge planned bring charges prison cox letters accused politician taking bribes cox criminal career claims white candidate cox said white told receive money directly friends donate records statements donated cox fact numerous contributions white campaign white claims agreed vote vacant properties tampa cox arrested fbi talked white investigating told information claimed paid cash addition recorded contributions arranged white fellow city_council member told cox contributions illegal colleague told police white kept silent white denied knew contributions called cox accusations reputed con man white said befriended cox came believe con man interested cox fled tampa area white cast votes voting record help confirm validity accusations unpublished novel authorities amazed similarities cox actual crimes manuscript found years cox arrested fictional character brown hair blue eyes cox brown hair green eyes fictional character cox drove silver illegally acquired tampa real estate worth million alumni intense fear worked insurance seller novel protagonist female accomplice rent home like cox rented atlanta character opens accounts banks area use money purposes cox cox like character manuscript forged document claiming mortgage home paid character manuscript contacted told owned property outright cox prison crime
Matthew Cox