Hi, folks! Instead of autogenerated show notes this week, I’ve included a cleaned-up transcript. It’s still AI-assisted, but from words that came out of my head. Essentially, it took out the stutters and smoothed over any of the false starts that tend to mark my live broadcasting. All the links are still there, just folded into the stories. Enjoy, TR Tennessee Preneed Scams and the Cash Flow Trap A new book by Tennessee author Tanya Covington Radek looks into the 1988 burial fraud conviction of Bobby Louis Wilkes, digging into community trust and how easily it can be exploited. It’s a timely subject, especially considering what’s happening over at Mundy Funeral Home in Jamestown, Tennessee. Chadrick Mundy is currently accused of widespread preneed insurance fraud. A state audit back in July turned up missing files, unaccounted insurance payouts, and about $70,000 in fraudulent claims across a dozen policies. As you may know, states don’t actually require a death certificate to pay out preneed policies, which makes sense. If funeral homes had to wait for death certificates, preneed would basically just be regular life insurance, which defeats the whole purpose. preneed is built for quick payouts to keep cash flowing into funeral homes. In Mundy’s case, the alarm bells reportedly rang when someone tried to transfer their insurance policy, only for the company to reply that, according to their records, the policyholder was already dead and buried. While high-volume insurers take a calculated risk on rapid payouts to keep the industry running smoothly, the publicity makes everyone look bad, as we see in the next story. Subscribe at OnDeathCare.com today for weekly funeral service news, in-depth industry analysis, and exclusive subscriber bonuses! Indiana Board Kiboshes Sketchy Lease Agreement Over in Indiana, the Funeral and Cemetery Board unanimously voted to revoke the licenses of both funeral director Gary Greiner and his business. Greiner is accused of stealing more than half a million dollars from preneed funds. The most tense moment of the hearing unfolded during the discussion of Jeff Edmondson’s proposed agreement to lease the former Greiner facility. Although he initially denied Greiner was involved, in reality, he agreed to pay Greiner $3,500 per month rent, along with half of the net profits. That financial arrangement drew heavy pushback from the board, triggering a sharp rebuke from board member Frank Downing. Downing made his stance clear, stating he was tired of seeing structures designed to keep disgraced operators afloat after taking advantage of “little old ladies who trusted him.” Unsurprisingly, the board rejected the application, putting an end to Edmondson’s effort to expand the arrangement. Chicago’s Regulatory Shakeup and Independent Mergers The Illinois Funeral Directors Association recently issued an open letter addressing ongoing cemetery scandals in Chicago, including the situation at National Bohemian Cemetery. While some commentary claims Chicago needs to get its act together, what we’re likely seeing is just the natural result of actual enforcement. Independent M&A On a lighter note regarding independent operations: A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home in Decatur, Georgia, has acquired Ford-Stewart Funeral Home in Jonesboro. Instead of a cold corporate takeover, they’re running it as “Ford Funeral Home and Cremation Services, a division of A.S. Turner and Sons.” Co-owner Cy Hume made it clear they aren’t operating with a corporate mentality. It’s a great blueprint for how local, independent operators can expand together without hiding behind a corporate curtain. I saw this video by an independent funeral home owner that’s worth watching. Independent Funeral Group Launches 50-State Healthcare Plan Lastly, Brad Kuchnicki over at the Independent Funeral Group announced that, after nearly a year of behind-the-scenes work, they’re launching a proprietary PPO healthcare plan approved across all 50 states. Designed as a support and buying network to keep family-owned funeral homes independent, the group is offering this health coverage to members without taking a cut or markup. They’re also building in protective territories to give independent family businesses a genuine competitive edge in their local markets. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe
