Florida man with doormat reading ‘come back with a warrant’ arrested in large-scale fraud scheme

A Florida man’s cheeky doormat may have been asking for trouble—and he got it. Christopher Musick, 57, was arrested Tuesday in Daytona Beach after authorities served him a search warrant for his alleged role in a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme.

Musick’s front stoop famously featured a mat that read, “Come back with a warrant.” The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office snapped a photo—and then obliged.

“After interviewing Musick, VSO Financial Crimes Unit detectives established probable cause to execute a search warrant at his residence, thereby satisfying the doormat’s request,” the sheriff’s office said.

According to the sheriff’s office, Musick allegedly posed as a fake real estate investor, forging documents and claiming ownership of multiple business properties in Volusia County. He then took out mortgages on these properties and used the funds to purchase more, renting them out while keeping the rent money—but never paying off the loans.

Authorities noted that Musick is a repeat offender, with 10 prior convictions and two outstanding warrants in Maryland. He now faces charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft over $100,000, and forgery. He is being held on a $225,000 bond.

Florida has long had a reputation for unusual characters and bizarre crimes. In recent months, one man nicknamed “Farmer Pete” was arrested after allegedly opening fire on a group of twenty-somethings during a debate over how many eggs a chicken can lay. Another repeat offender was apprehended for drug possession, only for authorities to discover he had a thermos concealed in his rectum, requiring surgical removal.

Even in the Sunshine State, some welcome mats may be more than just a joke.