Funeral Director Faces Charges for Allegedly Using Clients’ Funeral Funds to Finance Gambling Addiction
Allegations Against Philip Pietras for Embezzlement and Gambling
Philip Pietras, a 51-year-old funeral director from Connecticut, has been accused of committing 60 criminal offenses related to the misuse of funds collected from his funeral home clients. Prosecutors allege that Pietras diverted money prepaid for funeral and burial services to fund his gambling activities and maintain an extravagant lifestyle. His spending reportedly included numerous trips to casinos across the country.
Investigation Initiated Following Concerns Over Financial Irregularities
The inquiry into Pietras’ financial practices began after an employee at a third-party company responsible for managing funeral contracts noticed suspicious account activity at the Coventry branch of Pietras Family Funeral Homes. These third-party companies, which handle trust funds and escrow accounts for funeral homes, discovered that significant withdrawals had been made from Pietras’ accounts without benefiting the intended clients, who were still alive at the time.
This employee also found that multiple checks from clients who prepaid for services had been cashed but the corresponding funds never reached the accounts managed by the third-party administrator.
Description of Gambling Activities and Evidence
During Pietras’ arrest, law enforcement referenced numerous casino visits including stays at Connecticut’s tribal casinos like Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun, along with luxurious trips to the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City. Additional gambling spots included Harrah’s Atlantic City, MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, and the now-closed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The tribal casinos assisted investigators by providing data from rewards programs revealing that Pietras and his wife suffered losses exceeding $1.2 million between 2010 and 2024 at Mohegan Sun. Although Foxwoods did not disclose net earnings or losses, records show that the couple wagered more than $8 million during the same period. Their gaming habits extended beyond physical casinos to online platforms associated with these venues as well.
Defense Explanation and Legal Proceedings
When questioned, Pietras attributed the financial discrepancies to issues such as accounting errors, misplaced checks, disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and inconsistent deposit timing.
Following these developments, Superior Court Judge Alyce Alfano approved a reduction of Pietras’ bail from $800,000 to $200,000. After posting bail, Pietras was released from custody. His defense attorney contended that, to their knowledge, no clients who prepaid for services were ever denied those services despite the allegations.
