Boston funeral director faces 278 charges

BOSTON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Former Boston funeral director Joseph V. O'Donnell faces 278 charges after defrauding several clients by giving them the incorrect cremated remains.

O'Donnell is being charged with improper disposal of human remains, larceny, embezzlement, forgery and operating without a license.

He stored 12 bodies and 77 sets of cremated remains in storage facilities. Eleven of the 12 bodies were people who died after O'Donnell lost his license, reports Boston.com.

"Disturbingly, authorities believe O'Donnell provided the families of eight of those 11 decedents with ashes belonging to someone other than their loved one," said the Boston DA Dan Conley. "Two sets of ashes were scattered by family members, meaning only six could be recovered."

Thirty-one elderly clients were defrauded when O'Donnell took their payment for prepaid funeral services. Two of the families realized their money had been taken when they found O'Donnell's funeral home closed.

"The price of those contracts was as much as $7,000, totaling $149,096.22, and should have been placed in a trust for use when the client passed away. Instead, when asked by investigators where this money was, O'Donnell allegedly said, 'It's all gone," Conley said.

O'Donnell is due in Dorchester court Thursday for an administrative hearing on the charges.