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.