https://archive.triblive.com/local/regional/31-more-victims-report-being-scammed-by-former-uniontown-funeral-director-police-say/
31 more victims report being scammed by former Uniontown funeral director, police say
Stephen E. Kezmarsky III, 50, who owned the now-bankrupt Stephen E. Kezmarsky Funeral Home in Uniontown, is charged with 88 criminal counts. Authorities say he stole $284,383 in pre-paid funeral funds, mostly from elderly people.
Authorities filed more charges Wednesday against a former Uniontown funeral home director accused of stealing from elderly clients who pre-paid for their funerals.
Stephen E. Kezmarsky III, 50, is accused of taking $528,770 from 82 clients between October 2010 and March 2017, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Fayette County District Attorney Rich Bower.
Kezmarsky was arrested in January on accusations that he bilked 51 customers out of $284,393.
Since then, 31 more people have been identified as victims, Shapiro and Bower reported in a news release.
Defense attorney David Kaiser declined to comment. Kezmarsky on Wednesday waived a preliminary hearing on both sets of charges.
Kezmarsky's funeral home on South Pennsylvania Avenue closed in April 2017 after a bankruptcy filing, and he went to work for another area funeral home, authorities said.
He is charged with more than 170 offenses, including theft by deception and insurance fraud.
Police said Kezmarsky took payments from customers for future funeral expenses and deposited them into his business and personal accounts. State law requires those payments be placed in escrow accounts, according to the release.
Kezmarsky is free on bond.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by the funeral home should call the Fayette County district attorney's office at 724-430-1245 or Shapiro's insurance fraud investigators at 412-880-0129.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta.
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