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Funeral Home Director Pleads Guilty To Stealing From Elderly

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania funeral home director who authorities say stole a half million dollars' worth of funeral policy payments from the elderly has pleaded guilty to theft and forgery.

Officials said Wednesday that 51-year-old Stephen Kezmarsky stole more than $500,000 from 80 victims over a 12-year period.

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Kezmarsky specifically targeted senior citizens who prepaid for their funeral services.

The Uniontown funeral director owned and operated Kezmarsky Funeral Home. Shapiro said he accepted the payments from 2005 to 2017 but never submitted the polices.

Kezmarsky was originally charged with theft in January 2018. After those charges were announced, dozens more theft victims came forward. He was hit with additional charges six months later.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. The attorney general's office says restitution will be determined during sentencing

(TM and © Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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