EKB News

A Former Pike County Funeral Home director was appeared in Pike County District Court this afternoon for an arraignment on 20 separate criminal charges. 53 year old Richard Justice was taken into custody on Friday afternoon on and charged with 19 felonies and one misdemeanor ranging from insurance fraud, theft, violations of the Kentucky Funeral Trust Act, and acting as a funeral director without a license. The Insurance Fraud Investigation division of the Kentucky Office of Insurance (KOI) began investigating Justice in October 2006 following a consumer complaint. An elderly woman alleged Justice had collected funds for a prepaid burial arrangement but did not send the money to an insurance company or place it in a trust, as is required by law. As a result of the initial complaint, the KOI investigation uncovered 11 additional victims with similar issues. KOI estimates that Justice pocketed at least $80,000 from senior citizens as part of the scheme. Justice faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 on each count or both. A not guilty plea was entered this afternoon and he remains lodged in the Pike County Detention Center on a $2 million full cash bond.