Grave Robbery: WV Cemetery Owner Pleads Guilty

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WHEELING, WV – Jeffrey Phares, 65, isn’t just burying the dead – he was burying families’ money, too. The owner of four cemeteries across North Central West Virginia pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, admitting he skimped on stone-cold promises to grieving relatives.

Fares ran Greenlawn Memorial Park (New Martinsville), Elkins Memorial Gardens, Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery (Clarksburg), and Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens (Jane Lew). According to court documents, Phares took cash upfront for grave markers, got the designs approved, then funneled the money into his own pocket. When customers asked about the delays, they got lied to – repeatedly.

The feds estimate Phares’ scheme stole between $250,000 and $550,000 from families already dealing with loss. As part of a deal, Phares will have to pay back every dime, once the full scope of the fraud is tallied.

He’s facing up to 20 years in the can, but the judge will consider sentencing guidelines before deciding his fate. The FBI, Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office, and Wetzel County Prosecutor’s Office all chipped in on the investigation.

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