Florida man steals thousands from late mother’s estate: 'Son of the year,' deputies say | FOX 51 Gainesville

Florida man steals thousands from late mother’s estate: 'Son of the year,' deputies say

A Florida man has been arrested after he allegedly stole thousands of dollars from his late mother's estate. 

What happened?

The backstory:

Detectives with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) said they began investigating on Dec. 2, 2024, a report of someone attempting to cash an unauthorized check in the amount of $51,200.

Upon investigation, officials said they discovered that 56-year-old Thomas Frazetto, of Palm Coast, had allegedly forged his late mother’s signature. Authorities said this was only two months after his mother's death. 

As the investigation continued, deputies also discovered Frazzerro had allegedly forged his late mother’s signature on three other checks that he successfully cashed within days of her passing.

Detectives said Frazzetto had made numerous unauthorized transactions totaling more than $9,000, including a $2,000 transaction via Zelle the day prior to his mother’s death. According to a victim of the estate, Frazzetto’s mother would have been incapacitated during this time and unable to make the cash transfer.

Thomas Frazzetto is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a $10,000 bond. (Credit: Flagler County Sheriff's Office)

What we know:

On June 18, deputies from the FCSO's Fugitive Apprehension Unit located and arrested Frazzetto on a felony warrant for stealing thousands of dollars from his late mother’s estate. He is being charged with grand theft and uttering forged instruments.

Aside from this recent arrest, Frazzetto also has a history of drug possession, selling a Schedule 1 drug, simple battery and violation of probation.

What's next:

Frazetto has been taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $10,000 bond.

‘Son of the year’

What they're saying:

"Stealing from a deceased family member is not only disgraceful, but it’s also criminal," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "Our detectives did a great job building this case to ensure this son of the year’ would be brought to justice."

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) in a news release on June 24, 2025.

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