Pennsylvania funeral home owner charged after 6,500+ customers received ashes from other animals

(WHTM) — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a Pennsylvania funeral home owner for the theft of over $650,000 from customers who paid for pet burial and cremation services but instead allegedly received ashes of other, unknown animals.

According to Attorney General Sunday, Patrick Vereb, owner of Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorial in Pittsburgh, is charged with improperly disposing of thousands of dogs and cats for which owners paid for cremations, burials, returns of ashes, and other services.

Sunday says upon investigation, authorities learned that Vereb took money in exchange for private cremation services, then disposed of many of the pets at a landfill and provided customers with ashes of random, unknown animals.

Vereb, 70, was charged on Monday with felony counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and deceptive business practices. The Attorney General’s Office says over 6,500 victims were identified from Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

The Attorney General’s office says Vereb allegedly collected at least $657,517 in fees from pet owners who were promised a private cremation for their pet, but did not receive the actual ashes of their pet.

”This case is disturbing and will cause devastation and heartache for many Pennsylvanians,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Our pets are members of our families, and this defendant betrayed and agonized pet owners who entrusted him to provide dignified services for their beloved cats and dogs. I commend our investigative team for a comprehensive review of voluminous records, which uncovered this long-running pattern of theft and deception.”

Due to the large number of consumers potentially harmed, Sunday’s Office has launched a website where victims can provide their contact information, share victim impact statements, and receive updates on the criminal case.

The website will also help concerned citizens determine if they are victims in this case.