A Jacksonville furniture store owner accused of faking his death plans to plead guilty to federal charges.
Jose Lantigua owned the Circle K furniture store chain in Jacksonville. In 2013, he vanished in Venezuela and was declared dead.
That led to a number of suits and countersuits related to loans he had taken out using life insurance policies as collateral.
But earlier this year, Lantigua — who had been more than $8 million in debt when he disappeared — was discovered in North Carolina.
Now, he has told a federal judge he plans to plead guilty to passport fraud and identity theft charges.
Still unresolved is what Lantigua plans to do in regard to fraud charges filed in Florida as well as what will happen with his wife, who is being held in Duval County jail.
