Funeral Deluxe
February 12th 2007 14:02
When John Peffer got made redundant from his job at a funeral home, he didn't take it lying down.
Instead he allegedly started his own phoney funeral business by carrying caskets in an SUV and asking his girlfriend to act as a priest.
Peffer is also said to have set website to advertise his fake firm called 'Paradise Mortuary' and raked in $22,000 (£11,000) in ten days arranging two burials and a two cremations.
Police claim he started the scam by diverting one of the office phones at former employers the Dean Lopez Funeral Home in Ohio in the US to his mobile when he lost his job.
He was arrested when a hospice requested a death certificate from the Dean Lopez home. They realised something wasn't right and notified the police.
Peffer, 38, is being held on charges of practicing funeral directing without a license, using the title of a funeral director without a license, grand theft and obtaining property by fraud.
Alleged victim Jason Swaidan said he paid Peffer nearly $7,000 (£3,600) so his father's funeral would include a hearse, police escort and graveside service by a priest.
After a 30-minute wait for the priest, Mr Swaidan said a woman with brown hair showed up to perform the service. Police say that woman was Peffer's girlfriend.
Mr Swaidan said: 'I was told the hearse broke down and the police don't do funeral processions anymore'.
Bob Dean, from the Dean Lopez Funeral Home, said Peffer had been a good employee but was laid off last Autumn because of budget cuts at his family-run funeral home.
Instead he allegedly started his own phoney funeral business by carrying caskets in an SUV and asking his girlfriend to act as a priest.
Peffer is also said to have set website to advertise his fake firm called 'Paradise Mortuary' and raked in $22,000 (£11,000) in ten days arranging two burials and a two cremations.
Police claim he started the scam by diverting one of the office phones at former employers the Dean Lopez Funeral Home in Ohio in the US to his mobile when he lost his job.
He was arrested when a hospice requested a death certificate from the Dean Lopez home. They realised something wasn't right and notified the police.
Peffer, 38, is being held on charges of practicing funeral directing without a license, using the title of a funeral director without a license, grand theft and obtaining property by fraud.
Alleged victim Jason Swaidan said he paid Peffer nearly $7,000 (£3,600) so his father's funeral would include a hearse, police escort and graveside service by a priest.
After a 30-minute wait for the priest, Mr Swaidan said a woman with brown hair showed up to perform the service. Police say that woman was Peffer's girlfriend.
Mr Swaidan said: 'I was told the hearse broke down and the police don't do funeral processions anymore'.
Bob Dean, from the Dean Lopez Funeral Home, said Peffer had been a good employee but was laid off last Autumn because of budget cuts at his family-run funeral home.
I'm wondering how the girlfriend got away with being a priest.
via metro.co.uk
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