Matthew Cox

Matthew Bevan "Matt" Cox (born July 2, 1969) is an American former mortgage broker and admitted mortgage fraudster.

Cox, also a true crime author, wrote an unpublished manuscript entitled The Associates in which the main character traveled the country to perpetrate a mortgage fraud scheme similar to the one Cox ran.

Cox falsified documents to make it appear that he owned properties, and then fraudulently obtained several mortgages on them for five to six times their actual worth.

He acquired millions of dollars this way; estimates report the amount at between US$5 and $25 million.

Cox's first conviction occurred in 2002 when he was sentenced to probation for mortgage fraud.

He was then fired from the mortgage broker position he held in a Tampa, Florida area firm.

He began his life as a dedicated criminal in central Florida after that offense, before fleeing the area when his activities were discovered.

His crime spree continued across the southern and southwestern United States, eventually landing him on the United States Secret Service's Most Wanted list.

He was aided by several female accomplices, some of whom are in prison or have served time there for their participation in his fraudulent mortgage practices.

After being fired from the company when he was convicted of mortgage fraud in 2002, Cox faked a good credit history, and used that to buy dozens of homes and properties.

In one instance he used the social security number of a toddler, and all of his documents—references, bank letters, rent receipts, W-2s from nonexistent employers—were counterfeit.

He used his skills as an artist to decorate the properties with elaborate art deco-style murals.

Several of his future girlfriends said that his painting talents were part of his allure, though the St. Petersburg Times described his works as copies of murals by Tamara de Lempicka.

Cox charmed Alison Arnold, a young local married woman, into believing he could give her a wealthy and luxurious life.

While courting Arnold, she said, he took her to crime films such as The Italian Job and Catch Me if You Can—which he reportedly adored and watched several times—and detailed his criminal plans to her.

Cox often filed fraudulent mortgage documents, and in several cases was able to mortgage properties for five to six times their actual worth.

In this practice, known as "shotgunning" in the real estate community, Cox either himself forged or had accomplices attain inflated appraisals to increase the value of the mortgages.

One of his accomplices was a detention officer, who acquired 14 properties worth nearly $600,000, while making $35,568 a year in his job.

Cox took advantage of the Hillsborough County school district by selling it a property for much more than its appraised value, and arranged financing on a $90,000 house for future Florida Representative Janet Cruz.

He recorded that sale for $233,000, and hired Cruz to do some rezoning research.

Cruz claims she was unaware he inflated the sale price, and that she was never paid for her research.

When a female accomplice rented a house in Pinellas County as part of Cox's schemes, then faked ownership of the property, the owner found out about the fraud.

A title company manager had become suspicious of a loan Cox's accomplice was applying for on the house and called the property's real owner.

The Clearwater Police department was contacted, and they began an investigation.

Cox and Arnold grew apart and eventually Cox began courting another woman.

Rebecca Hauck, a divorced mother of one, had moved to Tampa after falling into debt and declaring bankruptcy in Las Vegas.

She had already committed criminal offenses before meeting Cox; Hauck was fired from a job in Las Vegas for forging her employer's name on checks that she used to pay her debts.

They met through an online dating service.

Cox was arrested on November 16, 2006.

Indicted on 42 counts, and facing prison sentences of up to 125 years, he plea bargained his sentence down to a maximum of 54 years on April 11, 2007, and was sentenced to 26 years on November 17, 2006.

He was released from prison in July 2019.

His story is well chronicled and has been featured on Dateline NBC, CNBC's American Greed, in Fortune magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, Playboy magazine, and other media outlets.

Born in Florida, Cox struggled in school due to severe dyslexia.

His teachers advised him to get a job in which he worked with his hands, so he studied sculpture at the University of South Florida, and majored in art.

Cox took a job as an insurance agent after college, but his income disappointed him, and he sought out higher-paying work.

Cox left his job as an insurance agent to work as a mortgage broker for a local company.

While there he developed a reputation for unscrupulousness, which was heightened by his authorship of an unpublished 317-page manuscript entitled The Associates.

The novel's protagonist, who shares many traits in common with Cox, travels the country committing mortgage fraud.

Cox told co-workers about the book, and elaborated its details to them.

"He sent it to a lot of people to see if they thought it worked" said a former co-worker.