MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Two former owners of a Maplewood funeral home are accused of stealing almost $44,000 over a 20-year period from customers who applied for burial insurance.
The Star Tribune reports David Thorsell, 70, and E. Peter Vasey, 69, allegedly used funds intended for customers’ burial services to pay for funeral home expenses. Each owner is charged with two counts of insurance fraud/embezzlement and one count of theft by swindle.
No lawyer is listed for either man.
In Minnesota, prepaid burial funds must be kept in a trust account or used to purchase an insurance policy. A state Department of Health investigation found that in the cases of seven customers who prepaid for insurance, Vasey and Thorsell never obtained policies.
Both owners’ licenses to practice mortuary science were revoked as a result of the investigation.
A criminal complaints said Vasey claims he was not aware that no insurance policy had been issued for the customer and blamed Thorsell for any mishandled prepaid funds, according to the complaint. Thorsell said the funds in this customer’s case were never submitted to the insurance company.
Vasey and Thorsell are expected to make their first appearance in court on March 12.
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