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Florida man selling $500K home finds $10 deed; ex-wife charged with felony

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The victim uncovered the fraudulent quitclaim deed in March 2024 as he made arrangements to market the Margate residence, which he valued at roughly $500,000. Under the terms of the couple's earlier divorce pact, the property bought in 2006 was supposed to be sold with proceeds divided once their daughter turned 18. Margate police intervened when the victim realized his property rights had been compromised without his permission or knowledge. The investigation further revealed that the notary involved failed to maintain contemporaneous logs and gave conflicting statements about whether the victim attended the signing.

Key points

  • A divorce settlement mandating the eventual sale and division of home proceeds was disrup…: A divorce settlement mandating the eventual sale and division of home proceeds was disrupted by an alleged fraudulent transfer.
  • Notary irregularities and shifting statements regarding the victim's presence contributed…: Notary irregularities and shifting statements regarding the victim's presence contributed to the state filing criminal charges against Barnett.
  • The accused remains presumed innocent in court after receiving a $5,000 bond following he…: The accused remains presumed innocent in court after receiving a $5,000 bond following her formal arrest in Broward County.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A Florida man preparing to sell his house, which he estimated was worth approximately $500,000, made an unexpected discovery when he learned that a quitclaim deed listing just $10 in consideration had been recorded against the property. The document allegedly affected his ownership interest, despite his claim that he had never signed it or authorised anyone to transfer his share.

His former wife, Sharon Joy Barnett, 56, of Margate, is now facing a first-degree felony charge involving the alleged fraudulent use of personal identification information.

According to a Margate Police Department probable-cause affidavit, the disputed deed was recorded in March 2024. Investigators allege that Barnett used her former husband's identifying information without his consent in connection with the document.

The $10 mentioned in the deed was its stated consideration and not the actual market value or confirmed sale price of the house.

Florida man discovers disputed deed while preparing to sell home

The former couple purchased the Margate residence in October 2006 for approximately $265,000, according to the police affidavit. They lived there for around 11 years before filing for…

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