A Coventry funeral home owner, Philip Pietras, has been arrested for defrauding disabled clients of over $80,000. The 51-year-old, who owns Pietras Funeral Home, faces serious charges of larceny in the first degree following an investigation that began in October 2024.
The investigation was launched after a complaint from an employee of the Department of Social Services/Department of Developmental Services, who had noticed discrepancies in client accounts. These clients, who are physically and cognitively disabled, had entrusted their funeral pre-payment funds to Pietras Funeral Home. These payments are supposed to be deposited into a trust account where they accrue interest over time.
However, the employee discovered that several checks made out to the funeral home were never deposited into the trust accounts. Upon further review, it was found that eight clients had significant differences between the money they had invested and the amounts shown in their accounts. Shockingly, some clients did not even have accounts opened in their names.
In total, a sum of $81,300 was reported missing from the accounts. Authorities allege that Pietras used the stolen funds to gamble at casinos across the country.
Pietras was arrested and charged with first-degree larceny. He was released on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court next week to answer the charges. This case highlights the serious breach of trust by a funeral home owner who was entrusted with the financial security of vulnerable clients.
