The city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection is suing a chain of funeral homes popular amongst Spanish-speaking communities for allegedly exploiting grieving families.
The lawsuit, announced Monday, accuses R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home Inc. – which has eight locations in the Bronx and Manhattan – of using deceptive and opaque business practices, including refusing families information about the whereabouts of their loved ones’ remains, concealing service prices and failing to provide services that were paid for.
“The alleged violations by R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes is appalling and unacceptable,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “No family in New York City should ever have to endure predatory treatment, especially during their time of grief and mourning.”
The suit says complaints were filed by 48 consumers who sought services from R.G. Ortiz since 2019. The funeral home’s Yelp and Google pages were also flooded with negative comments.
An DCWP investigation borne out of those complaints determined that the funeral service provider’s conduct “systemically violates the laws and rules of the City of New York,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit seeks restitution to the customers and civil penalties for the company.
DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga said no one deserves to be exploited during such a vulnerable time.
“I can’t even imagine, already being in such a painful time and then not knowing where your loved ones’ remains are,” Mayuga said. “There’s a number of violations that they committed, and so we’re seeking restitution for consumers and really urging anyone who has experienced similar deceptive practices by R.G. Ortiz to reach out to us immediately.”
Attempts to reach the funeral home chain for comment were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit details specific instances for each of the alleged complaints against R.G. Ortiz. One of the most common alleged deceptive practices, according to the suit, was misleading customers about how long it would take to get their deceased loved ones’ remains back.
At least 11 consumers reported that R.G. Ortiz would claim it would take two to three weeks to return cremated ashes, only to leave them waiting for months, ignoring requests for updates, officials said.
“R.G. Ortiz’s delays leave already grieving consumers in agony wondering where the remains of their loved ones are, and sometimes even doubting as to whether R.G. Ortiz returned the correct remains once they did receive them,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit also claims the funeral home failed to perform services it was paid for, including preparing remains for funeral services.
In one instance, R.G. Ortiz agreed to do a customer’s deceased grandmother’s hair and makeup for the funeral and failed to do so, leaving the granddaughter and her family to do it themselves, “a task that should not fall on any amateur, much less on grieving family members,” the lawsuit states.
Mayuga said to avoid being taken advantage of, New Yorkers seeking funeral services should schedule an arrangement conference to go over costs of service and options, ask for itemized receipts and always keep in mind that customers have the right to change their mind about the venue.