Funeral director trashed over 6,500 bodies of pets, used fake ashes to defraud customers out of $650,000: Officials

(PITTSBURGH) — A funeral home director has been charged after allegedly throwing out the bodies of thousands of pets and giving owners the ashes of other animals, collectively charging them over $650,000 in the process, prosecutors said.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Monday that Jacob Vereb — owner of Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorial in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — has been charged with improper disposal of “thousands of dogs and cats” for which owners paid for cremations, burials, returns of ashes, and other services, stealing over $650,000 from customers between 2021 and 2024,” according to a statement from the Pennsylvania’s Attorney General’s Office.

“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 other, unknown animals,” officials said.

The funeral home, which also worked with human remains, was only alleged by authorities to have defrauded customers who brought in their pets but the investigation identified more than 6,500 victims from Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington and Westmoreland counties, officials continued.

”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 vast numbers of people affected, the Office of Attorney General has launched a website to engage with victims 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 to determine if they are victims in this case, officials said.

“Nearly a dozen veterinary practices and businesses worked with the Office of Attorney General to confirm that Vereb 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,” the Attorney General’s Office said. “Eternity Pet Memorial received the pets directly from consumers or through area veterinarians.”

Vereb, 70, was charged on Monday with felony counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and deceptive business practices after surrendering Monday afternoon and was arraigned on the charges. He was released on his own recognizance, officials said.

The investigation is currently ongoing.