Auth session using external api, CI to Laravel migration

I have an app built on CodeIgniter that I'm migrating to Laravel. Our current stack looks like this: CodeIgniter App (front end), separate Laravel app for api and SugarCRM ( holds all customer data ). CI makes calls to API which in turn queries SugarCRM and returns back.

After a week of searching, I'm at a loss on how to modify Laravel's Auth to use the api return to build a Auth::user model, OR at a minimum be able to create an auth session when email and password are validated.