Former Crapaud funeral director pleads guilty to 66 fraud charges
CBC
A former funeral director accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in funeral arrangements in Crapaud, P.E.I., has pleaded guilty to dozens of fraud charges.
Some family members of the victims came out of the courtroom Thursday in Charlottetown with tears in their eyes, hugging one another and saying they were relieved the case was moving forward.
Susan MacKay says her mother-in-law lost about $10,000 after the money she gave to the now-closed Dawson Funeral Home for her own funeral disappeared.
"We all feel so violated," MacKay said. "How our trust was betrayed in a member of the community we all looked up to and trusted — it takes a long time to get over something like that."
Lowell Oakes, who ran the funeral home, was charged with 66 counts of fraud last July.
That includes 36 counts of fraud over $5,000 and 30 counts of fraud under $5,000.
Oakes spoke briefly in court on Thursday to enter his plea, saying he understood the charges he was pleading guilty to.
Families CBC spoke to said it was emotional hearing all of the victims' names read out in court, and the amount of money they lost: $425,000 in total.
Some had prepaid funeral costs, others didn't.
All said they feel betrayed by Oakes.
"Just to hear all the names, and especially my mom, it just brought back a lot of sadness and frustration," said Kathy Norring.
Norring said her 96-year-old mother had given Oakes about $8,600. Now, she said, her mom is "going to have to pay for her own funeral again."
Crown attorney Christopher White read a statement of facts that said Oakes had a gambling addiction. Oakes' paperwork was described as "disorganized."
The court heard the former funeral director had also borrowed money from some victims, and that a bank manager accused him of mishandling business funds.
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