An Akron funeral director was sentenced to six months in jail for bilking a Lancaster widow out of $175,000.
Paris J. Childs, 49, was ordered to pay $5,050, the maximum allowable, in fines and court fees after pleading guilty to grand larceny for embezzling the money from Olive M. Reimann.
State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia also revoked his state funeral director’s license for the next five years.
The widow was 85 when she died Sept. 19 in a Clarence nursing home.
Childs had been a longtime friend of Reimann and her husband, a businessman who died in 1993. Childs got the widow to grant him power of attorney and, from Feb. 2, 2006, through last April 19, he had been systematically embezzling the funds, prosecutors said.
The judge rebuked Childs, operator of Childs Funeral Home on Eckerson Avenue, for “taking advantage of a vulnerable senior citizen.” He also voided any powers of attorney that Childs might currently hold for any other elderly people.
Buscaglia also told Childs — who has repaid the $175,000 — that after he completes his prison term, he will be on court-supervised probation for the remainder of the next five years.
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Mortician Jailed, Fined in Bilking of Widow
Hats off and a handfull of balloons to Judge Russell P. Busaglia!
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmm, resitution, jail and five years court-supervised provation? Now we're talking!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think about morticians. When we are our most vulnerable, they're there to profit from it. I'm not saying they're all bad. But, for instance, my cousin died young (accident) and I remember his casket was solid oak. Beautiful, gorgeous wood. And my uncle said, "it's the last thing I can do for him." And it was. But was a solid oak, gorgeous, way-too-expensive casket needed? I don't think so. I think we are easily led at a time of bereavement.
ReplyDeleteAnd morticians know how to lead us.
I hate vultures who lay in wait for an easy mark and then take advantage of them.
ReplyDeleteGood news!
ReplyDelete