Owner Pleads Guilty to Felony Embezzlement Charges
On Wednesday, May 21, Richard D. Weishuhn pled guilty to multiple felony embezzlement charges in the Arenac County District Court. He is the owner of R.O. Savage Funeral Chapel in Standish, MI, which was under investigation earlier this year for mismanagement of funds.
Last November, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) conducted a routine audit of the funeral home’s records. During the audit it was discovered that Weishuhn had not submitted the annual financial reports for prepaid funeral contracts from 2006 through 2012. They also discovered that 174 pre-paid funeral contracts, which were valued at $601,438, were not held in escrow as required by law.
In addition to the financial issues, it was also discovered that Weishuhn was practicing mortuary science without a valid license. LARA immediately suspended his license and registration.
The financial discrepancies in Weishuhn’s accounts, and his license suspension, were reported to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. In turn, the Attorney General investigated further and discovered that in 2012 Weishuhn had spent $112,333 in prepaid funeral funds for other purposes, both personal and business. In addition, he had spent $87,945 of prepaid funeral funds in 2011, also for personal and business costs.
Weishuhn pled guilty to a single count of embezzlement more than $100,000, which is a felony and carries a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years and fines of up $50,000, or three times the amount embezzled. He also pled guilty to embezzlement more than $50,000 which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000, or three times the amount embezzled. His sentencing is scheduled for July 9th.
Attorney General Bill Schuette has stated that the state will drop the charge of embezzlement more than $50,000 by the scheduled sentencing date if Weishuhn is able to provide or secure restitution for the victims of this funeral home embezzlement. Weishuhn is in the process of selling the funeral home to a buyer who has stated that they are willing to honor all of the outstanding funeral contracts.