Hanna gets 30 years in funeral home fraud
(Archived article @ Newsbank)
Chris Cooper ~ Russellville's News-Democrat & Leader ~ 9/12/2006
Tim Hanna, prior owner/operator of Memorial Funeral Home in Russellville, was sentenced in the Logan Circuit Court Friday, Sept. 1 to 30 years in prison with chance of parole in six.
He was also ordered to pay approximately $350,000 in restitution. Hanna had pleaded guilty to a total of 117 counts of Class C and Class D felonies on Aug. 1.
Hanna stole numerous individuals' prepaid funeral funds, completed false interest reports from the Funeral Fund Trust of Kentucky and reported he had performed funeral services for individuals who had not died yet.
Hanna still faces additional charges stemming from his service on the Land of Logan Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors between 2002 and 2003.
Hanna was indicted on July 1 on 15 counts of stealing from Habitat for Humanity for personal use. Habitat is a nationally known non-profit organization which brings together volunteers to build affordable housing for those in need.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Saturday, August 5, 2006
Funerary Fraud Tim Hanna Pleads Guilty to 117 Felonies
Hanna pleads guilty, Orange may seek $350,000, 30 years
(Archived article @ Newsbank)
Chris Cooper ~ Russellville's News-Democrat & Leader ~ 8/4/2006
Tim Hanna of Russellville pled guilty in Logan Circuit Court Tuesday to a total of 117 counts of Class C and Class D felonies.
Hanna was arrested and charged on Feb. 6, 2006 after turning himself into authorities.
The former owner/operator of Memorial Funeral Home in Russellville stole numerous individual's pre-paid funeral funds, completed false interest reports from the Funeral Fund Trust of Kentucky and reported that he had performed funeral services for individuals who had not died yet.
Hanna had taken as much as $10,000 from several individuals and as little as $327. The total of funds taken is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In October 2005, the Kentucky Attorney General's Office (AG) became involved and began an extensive investigation into Hanna's business practices along with the Kentucky State Police and the Logan County Commonwealth Attorney's Office.
The AG's Office had received numerous complaints from individuals who claimed they had pre-paid for funeral costs and the funds were no longer there.
Hanna and his wife Cindy had filed a joint voluntary petition under Chapter 7 (bankruptcy) on July 1, 2005 which the AG's Office opposed.
During the investigation into Hanna's business at least two unidentified cremains were found in the funeral home and one that was marked. This find involved the Logan County Coroner's Office. The cremains with a name on the container were of someone who had already been buried. That grave was exhumed to identify the contents which held ashes. Logan County Coroner Jackie Dunlap had said they may never know whose cremains they were.
Approximately 45 to 50 victims and their families were in court to see Hanna plea Tuesday. Even after Hanna's confession of guilt, victims still sought answers to why anyone would do such a thing.
Commonwealth Attorney Charles Orange says restitution is still being determined in this case but said more than likely Hanna will have to repay close to $350,000. Orange recommend Hanna serve 30 years in jail according to the plea agreement; however, final sentencing isn't until Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. Circuit Court Judge Tyler Gill could choose to either raise or lower the agreement. At the Sept. 1 sentencing, victims will have a chance to voice their opinions on the actions of Hanna.
Hanna is still facing additional charges stemming from his service on the Land of Logan Habitat For Humanity Board of Directors between 2002 and 2003. Hanna was indicted on July 21 and arraigned Tuesday on 15 counts of stealing money from Habitat for Humanity for personal use. Habitat is a nationally known non-profit organization which brings together volunteers to build affordable housing for those in need.
In the funeral home case, Hanna has admitted his guilt. On the Habitat charges, and indictment is not a finding of guilt, but that enough evidence exists to hold a trial. Guilt or innocence may be determined in a court of law.
(Archived article @ Newsbank)
Chris Cooper ~ Russellville's News-Democrat & Leader ~ 8/4/2006
Tim Hanna of Russellville pled guilty in Logan Circuit Court Tuesday to a total of 117 counts of Class C and Class D felonies.
Hanna was arrested and charged on Feb. 6, 2006 after turning himself into authorities.
The former owner/operator of Memorial Funeral Home in Russellville stole numerous individual's pre-paid funeral funds, completed false interest reports from the Funeral Fund Trust of Kentucky and reported that he had performed funeral services for individuals who had not died yet.
Hanna had taken as much as $10,000 from several individuals and as little as $327. The total of funds taken is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In October 2005, the Kentucky Attorney General's Office (AG) became involved and began an extensive investigation into Hanna's business practices along with the Kentucky State Police and the Logan County Commonwealth Attorney's Office.
The AG's Office had received numerous complaints from individuals who claimed they had pre-paid for funeral costs and the funds were no longer there.
Hanna and his wife Cindy had filed a joint voluntary petition under Chapter 7 (bankruptcy) on July 1, 2005 which the AG's Office opposed.
During the investigation into Hanna's business at least two unidentified cremains were found in the funeral home and one that was marked. This find involved the Logan County Coroner's Office. The cremains with a name on the container were of someone who had already been buried. That grave was exhumed to identify the contents which held ashes. Logan County Coroner Jackie Dunlap had said they may never know whose cremains they were.
Approximately 45 to 50 victims and their families were in court to see Hanna plea Tuesday. Even after Hanna's confession of guilt, victims still sought answers to why anyone would do such a thing.
Commonwealth Attorney Charles Orange says restitution is still being determined in this case but said more than likely Hanna will have to repay close to $350,000. Orange recommend Hanna serve 30 years in jail according to the plea agreement; however, final sentencing isn't until Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. Circuit Court Judge Tyler Gill could choose to either raise or lower the agreement. At the Sept. 1 sentencing, victims will have a chance to voice their opinions on the actions of Hanna.
Hanna is still facing additional charges stemming from his service on the Land of Logan Habitat For Humanity Board of Directors between 2002 and 2003. Hanna was indicted on July 21 and arraigned Tuesday on 15 counts of stealing money from Habitat for Humanity for personal use. Habitat is a nationally known non-profit organization which brings together volunteers to build affordable housing for those in need.
In the funeral home case, Hanna has admitted his guilt. On the Habitat charges, and indictment is not a finding of guilt, but that enough evidence exists to hold a trial. Guilt or innocence may be determined in a court of law.
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Russellville Funerary Fraud Charged with Stealing from Habitat for Humanity
Hanna indicted again - Charged with stealing $51,500 from Habitat For Humanity - Hanna served as its treasurer
Chris Cooper ~ News-Democrat & Leader (Russellville, Logan County, KY) ~ 8/1/2006
Tim Hanna, previous owner/operator of Memorial Funeral Home, was indicted by the Logan County Grand Jury on July 21 for 15 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking over $300.
According to Hannah's indictment, he intentionally took money belonging to the Habitat For Humanity account with intent to convert funds for personal use and to deprive Habitat For Humanity of money. Hanna's counts add up to $51,500. The money was allegedly taken between May 2002 and October 2003. Hanna served Habitat For Humanity as its treasurer. Habitat For Humanity is a nonprofit organization that brings together volunteers to build housing for those in need.
This isn't Hanna's first bout with trouble. He was arrested on Feb. 6, 2006 and charged with 109 counts, ranging from theft by failure to make required disposition of property over $300, violation of trust prevision/preneed payment for funeral service, and forgery 2nd degree.
The February theft charges stem from transactions in which he allegedly took individuals pre-paid funeral funds and failed to turn them into the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky.
The forgery charges stem from Hanna's alleged completion of false interest reports from the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky on certain individuals. Hanna also allegedly contacted the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky and reported that he had performed funeral services for individuals who had not died yet, in order to receive the individual s pre-paid funeral funds himself.
Chris Cooper ~ News-Democrat & Leader (Russellville, Logan County, KY) ~ 8/1/2006
Tim Hanna, previous owner/operator of Memorial Funeral Home, was indicted by the Logan County Grand Jury on July 21 for 15 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking over $300.
According to Hannah's indictment, he intentionally took money belonging to the Habitat For Humanity account with intent to convert funds for personal use and to deprive Habitat For Humanity of money. Hanna's counts add up to $51,500. The money was allegedly taken between May 2002 and October 2003. Hanna served Habitat For Humanity as its treasurer. Habitat For Humanity is a nonprofit organization that brings together volunteers to build housing for those in need.
This isn't Hanna's first bout with trouble. He was arrested on Feb. 6, 2006 and charged with 109 counts, ranging from theft by failure to make required disposition of property over $300, violation of trust prevision/preneed payment for funeral service, and forgery 2nd degree.
The February theft charges stem from transactions in which he allegedly took individuals pre-paid funeral funds and failed to turn them into the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky.
The forgery charges stem from Hanna's alleged completion of false interest reports from the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky on certain individuals. Hanna also allegedly contacted the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky and reported that he had performed funeral services for individuals who had not died yet, in order to receive the individual s pre-paid funeral funds himself.
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Russellville Christian Church Buys Memorial Funeral Home
Russellville Christian Church buys funeral home at auction
Doug Waters ~ Bowling Green's Daily News ~ 3/5/2006
RUSSELLVILLE - A church will soon occupy a beleaguered funeral home property in Logan County.
The property belonging to Tim Hanna, who's been charged with funeral-home fraud, was sold at a commissioner's auction late last month by Russellville Christian Church.
Pat Suiter, who is on the church's building committee, said the church, comprised of 60 to 65 people, previously met at the Women's Club building in Russellville.
"We didn't think about the controversy," Suiter said. "That was the best location and building we could find in Russellville."
Suiter said expansion needs trumped all other concerns, even though members were well aware of the funeral home's problems.
Hanna, 46, was arrested in October by Kentucky State Police and accused of stealing from clients who made prepaid funeral arrangements. Hanna faced more than 100 charges at his initial arraignment Feb. 16, including 16 counts of second-degree forgery for bogus death certificates to the state's Funeral Trust Fund.
Allegedly, some or all of the money for certain reservations never made went into the state's Funeral Trust Fund.
"It's a big, spacious building. It's a matter of personal feelings as to how you feel about a funeral home as a business or church home," said Charles Orange, the Logan-Todd commonwealth's attorney.
Three properties - Hanna and his wife's house, the funeral home and the LandMark Travel building they owned across the street from it - were sold along with furniture and other equipment, said Jay Joines, the Logan County Circuit Court master commissioner.
Stressing the sales were not connected to Hanna's criminal charges, Joines said they were based on a civil failure-to-pay-debt case. Rumors circulating that proceeds of the sales could go to funeral-fraud victims are not true, he said.
"It's a lawsuit by the bank to collect money owed to the bank," Joines said. "The judgment and the case and the lawsuit spells out correctly who gets the money. It doesn't have anything to do with operation of the funeral home or anything about that."
The funeral home sold for $246,100, the house sold for $82,390 and the LandMark Travel building sold for $7,490. Jesse L. Riley and Son Real Estate and Auction handled the sales, he said. About 100 to 150 people attended the auction, Joines said.
As for the criminal case against Hanna, Orange said Hanna is currently out on bond and his next hearing should be in early April. The sides are still poring through evidence in preparation for trial. Orange said trials normally take anywhere from three months to a year to resolve.
Doug Waters ~ Bowling Green's Daily News ~ 3/5/2006
RUSSELLVILLE - A church will soon occupy a beleaguered funeral home property in Logan County.
The property belonging to Tim Hanna, who's been charged with funeral-home fraud, was sold at a commissioner's auction late last month by Russellville Christian Church.
Pat Suiter, who is on the church's building committee, said the church, comprised of 60 to 65 people, previously met at the Women's Club building in Russellville.
"We didn't think about the controversy," Suiter said. "That was the best location and building we could find in Russellville."
Suiter said expansion needs trumped all other concerns, even though members were well aware of the funeral home's problems.
Hanna, 46, was arrested in October by Kentucky State Police and accused of stealing from clients who made prepaid funeral arrangements. Hanna faced more than 100 charges at his initial arraignment Feb. 16, including 16 counts of second-degree forgery for bogus death certificates to the state's Funeral Trust Fund.
Allegedly, some or all of the money for certain reservations never made went into the state's Funeral Trust Fund.
"It's a big, spacious building. It's a matter of personal feelings as to how you feel about a funeral home as a business or church home," said Charles Orange, the Logan-Todd commonwealth's attorney.
Three properties - Hanna and his wife's house, the funeral home and the LandMark Travel building they owned across the street from it - were sold along with furniture and other equipment, said Jay Joines, the Logan County Circuit Court master commissioner.
Stressing the sales were not connected to Hanna's criminal charges, Joines said they were based on a civil failure-to-pay-debt case. Rumors circulating that proceeds of the sales could go to funeral-fraud victims are not true, he said.
"It's a lawsuit by the bank to collect money owed to the bank," Joines said. "The judgment and the case and the lawsuit spells out correctly who gets the money. It doesn't have anything to do with operation of the funeral home or anything about that."
The funeral home sold for $246,100, the house sold for $82,390 and the LandMark Travel building sold for $7,490. Jesse L. Riley and Son Real Estate and Auction handled the sales, he said. About 100 to 150 people attended the auction, Joines said.
As for the criminal case against Hanna, Orange said Hanna is currently out on bond and his next hearing should be in early April. The sides are still poring through evidence in preparation for trial. Orange said trials normally take anywhere from three months to a year to resolve.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Russellville Funerary Fraud Now Faces 109 Charges
Mortician faces more theft counts - Ex-director of Russellville funeral home now charged with more than 100 counts
Burton Speakman ~ Bowling Green's Daily News ~ 2/7/2006
The Russellville funeral home director accused of stealing from clients who made pre-paid funeral arrangements has been charged with another 39 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition.
"Someone would die and the family would say they had money in the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky and the trust fund would say no money was there," said Trooper Todd Holder, public affairs officer of Kentucky State Police in Bowling Green.
The victim would then say they had paid "whatever amount" to funeral director Tim Hanna, he said.
"There were 52 victims involved in this case," according to a state police report on the case.
When the alleged incidents occurred, Hanna, 46, was the director of Memorial Funeral Home in Russellville.
The first complaint to state police came Sept. 27, when an individual said she was unable to contact her funeral director, according to the report.
The woman was concerned because she had recently purchased a pre-paid funeral plan from Hanna and was not able to discuss the matter, according to the report.
State police and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office then contacted the funeral funding trust to inquire about the complainant's status and discovered she did not have an account with the fund, according to the state police report.
In Kentucky individuals pre-pay a funeral home for funeral service and that money is placed into the funeral trust fund, Holder said. When that person dies, the funeral home is paid by the funeral trust.
Hanna received this money for prepaid funerals but would not forward the money to the trust fund, Holder said.
How the money was used is part of the ongoing investigation and cannot be discussed, he said.
Some of the victims have lost thousands of dollars, Logan County Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Orange has said.
Orange, who could not be reached for further comment today because of murder trial, at the time said the largest amount discovered stolen is more than $10,000 while the smallest amount is $300.
Hanna is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 16 in Logan Circuit Court. He is facing a total of 109 charges which include 41 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition over $300, 52 counts of violation of trust provisions/pre-need payment for funeral services and 16 counts of second-degree forgery.
Hanna was served with the additional charges Monday in Louisville and taken into custody without incident, according to the state police report.
Hanna was previously arrested on Oct. 4 but posted a bond then and was released.
State police said no further details would be released now because the investigation is ongoing.
Hanna is being held at the Logan County Detention Center on $500,000 cash bond.
Burton Speakman ~ Bowling Green's Daily News ~ 2/7/2006
The Russellville funeral home director accused of stealing from clients who made pre-paid funeral arrangements has been charged with another 39 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition.
"Someone would die and the family would say they had money in the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky and the trust fund would say no money was there," said Trooper Todd Holder, public affairs officer of Kentucky State Police in Bowling Green.
The victim would then say they had paid "whatever amount" to funeral director Tim Hanna, he said.
"There were 52 victims involved in this case," according to a state police report on the case.
When the alleged incidents occurred, Hanna, 46, was the director of Memorial Funeral Home in Russellville.
The first complaint to state police came Sept. 27, when an individual said she was unable to contact her funeral director, according to the report.
The woman was concerned because she had recently purchased a pre-paid funeral plan from Hanna and was not able to discuss the matter, according to the report.
State police and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office then contacted the funeral funding trust to inquire about the complainant's status and discovered she did not have an account with the fund, according to the state police report.
In Kentucky individuals pre-pay a funeral home for funeral service and that money is placed into the funeral trust fund, Holder said. When that person dies, the funeral home is paid by the funeral trust.
Hanna received this money for prepaid funerals but would not forward the money to the trust fund, Holder said.
How the money was used is part of the ongoing investigation and cannot be discussed, he said.
Some of the victims have lost thousands of dollars, Logan County Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Orange has said.
Orange, who could not be reached for further comment today because of murder trial, at the time said the largest amount discovered stolen is more than $10,000 while the smallest amount is $300.
Hanna is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 16 in Logan Circuit Court. He is facing a total of 109 charges which include 41 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition over $300, 52 counts of violation of trust provisions/pre-need payment for funeral services and 16 counts of second-degree forgery.
Hanna was served with the additional charges Monday in Louisville and taken into custody without incident, according to the state police report.
Hanna was previously arrested on Oct. 4 but posted a bond then and was released.
State police said no further details would be released now because the investigation is ongoing.
Hanna is being held at the Logan County Detention Center on $500,000 cash bond.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Identification of Russellville Cremains Sought
Investigation of cremains continues
(Archived article @ Newsbank)
Chris Cooper ~ News-Democrat & Leader (Russellville, Logan County, KY) ~ 1/13/2006
Logan County Coroner Jackie Dunlap is asking anyone who had a family member cremated at Memorial Funeral Home and didn't pick up their cremains to contact him through the Logan County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 726-4911.
Dunlap, who is helping in the investigation that is being conducted by the Attorney General's Office concerning funeral home owner Tim Hanna, says there are two unidentified cremated bodies, and he wants to find who they belong to.
Hanna and his business became front page news in early October of last year when he was arrested by the Kentucky State Police and charged with two counts of theft by deception over $300.
Hanna allegedly was withdrawing money from the Federal Trust Fund of Kentucky. People paid Hanna for prearranged costs for their funeral, which he was supposed to deposit into this fund. In some cases, allegedly, the money never made it into the fund. In other cases all or part of the money was deposited, but fake death notices were sent to the funeral fund for the money to be withdrawn. People who are alive and well have found out that they are dead in the eyes of the funeral fund, their money gone.
During beginning investigations, authorities obtained a search warrant for the funeral home and located two boxes of cremains. One was marked with a name and one with an identification number, which matched a number at the crematorium where Hanna did business.
The one that held the name was thought to have been buried almost a year prior and the family of the one that held the matching number said they had already received their loved one's ashes.
Dunlap and authorities exhumed the body of the individual whose name appeared on the box of cremains, thinking that they would find an empty box; however, the grave held a box full of ashes as well, now unidentified.
Dunlap says he believes one of the three sets of cremains belongs to the individual whose name appears; however, he has no idea whose ashes the other two are.
Logan County Sheriff Wallace Whittaker talked with Hanna the last week in December. Whittaker asked Hanna whose cremains were left in the funeral home. Whittaker said Hanna told him four names the cremains could possibly belong to. Coroner Dunlap said he contacted all four families and they informed him they had received their loved one's cremains already.
Dunlap delivered the two sets of cremains to Dr. Emily Craig, a forensic anthropologist who works at the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort. Dunlap said Craig reported the cremains were ground so fine that it was almost impossible to obtain any information about the individuals. He said Craig told him that sometimes a bone or teeth fragments can be found through which identification can be made.
Dunlap said the cremation process is different than it used to be in the past. He said now, when a body is cremated it is also ground up afterward to insure there is nothing but ashes left. According to Dunlap, DNA cannot be extracted from cremains.
“This is a moral issue now,” said Sheriff Whittaker., “We may never know who they are.”
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.
(Archived article @ Newsbank)
Chris Cooper ~ News-Democrat & Leader (Russellville, Logan County, KY) ~ 1/13/2006
Logan County Coroner Jackie Dunlap is asking anyone who had a family member cremated at Memorial Funeral Home and didn't pick up their cremains to contact him through the Logan County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 726-4911.
Dunlap, who is helping in the investigation that is being conducted by the Attorney General's Office concerning funeral home owner Tim Hanna, says there are two unidentified cremated bodies, and he wants to find who they belong to.
Hanna and his business became front page news in early October of last year when he was arrested by the Kentucky State Police and charged with two counts of theft by deception over $300.
Hanna allegedly was withdrawing money from the Federal Trust Fund of Kentucky. People paid Hanna for prearranged costs for their funeral, which he was supposed to deposit into this fund. In some cases, allegedly, the money never made it into the fund. In other cases all or part of the money was deposited, but fake death notices were sent to the funeral fund for the money to be withdrawn. People who are alive and well have found out that they are dead in the eyes of the funeral fund, their money gone.
During beginning investigations, authorities obtained a search warrant for the funeral home and located two boxes of cremains. One was marked with a name and one with an identification number, which matched a number at the crematorium where Hanna did business.
The one that held the name was thought to have been buried almost a year prior and the family of the one that held the matching number said they had already received their loved one's ashes.
Dunlap and authorities exhumed the body of the individual whose name appeared on the box of cremains, thinking that they would find an empty box; however, the grave held a box full of ashes as well, now unidentified.
Dunlap says he believes one of the three sets of cremains belongs to the individual whose name appears; however, he has no idea whose ashes the other two are.
Logan County Sheriff Wallace Whittaker talked with Hanna the last week in December. Whittaker asked Hanna whose cremains were left in the funeral home. Whittaker said Hanna told him four names the cremains could possibly belong to. Coroner Dunlap said he contacted all four families and they informed him they had received their loved one's cremains already.
Dunlap delivered the two sets of cremains to Dr. Emily Craig, a forensic anthropologist who works at the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort. Dunlap said Craig reported the cremains were ground so fine that it was almost impossible to obtain any information about the individuals. He said Craig told him that sometimes a bone or teeth fragments can be found through which identification can be made.
Dunlap said the cremation process is different than it used to be in the past. He said now, when a body is cremated it is also ground up afterward to insure there is nothing but ashes left. According to Dunlap, DNA cannot be extracted from cremains.
“This is a moral issue now,” said Sheriff Whittaker., “We may never know who they are.”
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.
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