Rockland Funeral Home Owner Pleads In Burial Fund Scam

SUFFERN, NY — Scarr Funeral Home owner Leonard Scarr pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of grand larceny in the third degree, forgery in the second degree, and scheme to defraud.

"Preparing to lay to rest a family member or friend is one of the hardest and most stressful times in a person's life. With restitution being paid to the victims, this sentence is fair and brings justice to all involved parties," Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said in an announcement of the guilty plea.

A thorough investigation by the Ramapo Police Department and the Rockland County District Attorney's Office identified 90 victims with an aggregate loss of $531,017.

Scarr, 54, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, appeared before Hon. Larry J Schwartz to enter his plea of guilty.

Scarr admitted to stealing in excess of $3,000 from two victims. Also, he admitted to failing to deposit and keep funds on deposit received for more than 10 customers' burial accounts, instead knowingly and willfully misappropriating it.

Walsh said after contracting with one victim to set up a prepaid burial account, Scarr deposited the victim’s money, and to gain access forged a death certificate in the victim’s name, presented the forged death certificate to representatives of the bank where the burial escrow account was held, withdrew the funds from the account, and used them for various personal expenses. The account holder is still alive.

Scarr also contracted with a woman to set up a prepaid burial account, but never did. Instead, Scarr used her funds for various personal expenses.

Last fall, in an effort to ensure that all the victims would be fully reimbursed, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, as Plaintiff-Claiming Authority, filed a civil forfeiture action in the Rockland County Supreme Court seeking forfeiture from Leonard Scarr’s property and proceeds from the sale of the Scarr Funeral Home. SEE: Rockland DA Prevents Sale Of Scarr Funeral Home

When the sale of the property closed in June, the sum of $540,000 — to be paid at $9,000 per month for the next five years — was set aside to pay back the victims of Scarr’s theft, Walsh said.

In exchange for Scarr’s pleas of guilty, Judge Schwartz is expected to sentence Scarr to an indeterminate term of two to six years in state prison with full restitution in the amount of $531,071.37, as recommended by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.

"I would like to thank the Ramapo Police Department Detectives and the investigators from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office for their hard work in investigating this case," Walsh said.

This case was prosecuted by Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic and
Senior Assistant District Attorney Melissa Robustello.