More Victims Of Funeral Home Scam: Rockland District Attorney

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY —The owner of the Scarr Funeral Home faces more charges of grand larceny and forgery as the investigation into funds missing from pre-paid funeral bank accounts continues.

In March, Ramapo police began a probe into one account established to be payable to the funeral home upon the account holder's death. Police alleged the account had been fraudulently closed after a forged death certificate had been produced to the bank, and a check had been issued to the funeral home in July of 2019. The check was deposited into the funeral home's bank account, they said.

Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said after Leonard Scarr was arrested in August, more victims came to light.

Prosecutors now allege he stole more than $3,000 from 27 victims and more than $1,000 from six victims and used the money for personal expenses.

On two occasions, prosecutors said Scarr forged death certificates for the same victim, whom he had contracted with to set up two pre-paid burial escrow accounts. He then presented the forged death certificates to the bank where the burial escrow accounts were held and withdrew the accounts’ funds. At the times of the two withdrawals, the respective accounts’ holder was still alive.

On Thursday, Scarr was indicted on:

• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (27 counts),
• Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (six counts),
• Failure to Deposit Monies Paid in Advance in Connection with Agreements for Funeral Merchandise and Services (66 counts),
• Forgery in the Second Degree (two counts),
• Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (two counts), Scheme to Defraud (two counts)

Scarr, 53, of Warwick, NY, appeared through a virtual arraignment Thursday.

"This investigation reveals the extent of financial impact on a many of our fellow Rockland residents," Walsh said. "My office has been working with the Ramapo Police Department to ensure that we identified potential victims and adequately charged Leonard Scarr with these crimes."

Walsh credited Supervising Assistant District Attorney Mike Dugandzic, Det. Lt. Kerr and Det. Lt. Confrey of the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, Det. Braddock and Det. Fitzgerald of the Ramapo Police Department with the investigation leading to the indictment.