Theodore and Arminda Martin were indicted on federal mail fraud and conspiracy charges for defrauding at least 200 customers of approximately $500,000 in pre-paid cemetery services fees at Suburban Memorial Gardens Cemetery, using the funds for personal expenses including gambling.

Suburban Memorial Gardens Cemetery — Pre-Need Fee Fraud (2003–2016)

Outcome: Theodore and Arminda Martin were indicted on federal mail fraud and conspiracy charges for defrauding at least 200 customers of approximately $500,000 in pre-paid cemetery services fees at Suburban Memorial Gardens Cemetery, using the funds for personal expenses including gambling.

Theodore Martin and his wife Arminda Martin of York County, Pennsylvania, operated Suburban Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Dover, Pennsylvania. From 2003 to 2016, they collected pre-paid cemetery services fees from at least 200 customers and embezzled those funds for personal use, including gambling.

The Martins were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on charges of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The scheme exploited the trust families placed in the cemetery to hold pre-need funds for future burial services. When families attempted to use their pre-paid services, the cemetery could not deliver because the funds had been spent.

Primary Source: DOJ: Local Cemetery Owners Indicted for Defrauding 200 Customers of $500,000 in Pre-Paid Fees