⏱ 2 min read
Ronald Jerome Woolfolk, Jr., a 27-year-old licensed mortician apprentice from Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced to 34 months for running a brazen scam targeting a charity that supports families who have lost children. Between August 15, 2022, and October 16, 2023, Woolfolk used his position at a funeral home to submit 23 fake requests for financial assistance, seeking help with funeral expenses for both real and fictitious deceased individuals.
Woolfolk’s scheme involved creating fake invoices, cremation certificates, and letters on the funeral home’s letterhead to support his fraudulent requests. He directed the payments to a fake company he had set up, and in total, he obtained $11,929.49 from the charity. Neither the funeral home nor the families of the deceased were aware of Woolfolk’s actions, which included seeking assistance for three real deceased babies and toddlers, as well as two young adults.
The investigation was conducted by the US Secret Service, and Woolfolk’s case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams. Under federal law, Woolfolk will have to serve 85% of his prison sentence and will be under supervision for three years after his release.
The sentencing was announced by Jason Parman, First Assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge of the US Secret Service. The case highlights the importance of vigilance and oversight in the non-profit sector, as well as the need for strict penalties for those who exploit charitable organizations for personal gain.
Related Federal Cases
- Patricia Stanz Sentenced to 2 Years for Church Embezzlement, Toledo… · Michigan
- William J. Memmer, Embezzlement and False Entries, Lakewood OH, 2023 · Ohio
- Xin Franco Fan and Rex Xu Yu, $1.5M Embezzlement, Akron OH, 2023 · Ohio
- Janice M. Arnow, SSA Benefits Embezzlement, KY 2024 · Kentucky
- John Thomas, Kidnapping Scheme, IN 2016 · Pennsylvania
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Kentucky
- Location: KY
- Source: DOJ Press Release
