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Following an April lawsuit from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes–which operates in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, including a location at 235 West 72nd Street–will pay more than $600,000 to consumers they exploited. The company will also pay $100,000 in civil penalties.
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The DCWP received 74 complaints against R.G. Ortiz since 2018, and an investigation has resulted in more than 82 charges against the company. Infractions include “refusing to provide information regarding the whereabouts of consumers’ loved ones’ remains, misrepresenting or concealing the prices of services offered, failing to provide services that consumers paid for–in part because they routinely presented remains in unacceptable conditions among others,” according to a press release from the DCWP.
“Piled up like sardines, very unprofessional,” an anonymous former R.G. Ortiz employee said of how the company handled remains. “Rats (would) be coming out of there…I saw one body with half of his face — his nose — chewed up.” The Bronx News 12 report, which includes graphic imagery, can be viewed here.
“Few moments in our lives are as challenging as when we’re mourning the passing of a loved one, and R.G. Ortiz sought to exploit those moments of grief and prey on vulnerable New Yorkers,” DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga said in a statement. “Money will never heal the wounds R.G. Ortiz’s conduct inflicted, but we’re proud to hold this business accountable and secure justice for our neighbors.”
Of the $600,000 that customers will receive, $104,000 will be distributed among 28 customers, leaving about $500,000 for those who have yet to come forward with claims. The DCWP invites New Yorkers who were victimized by R.G. Ortiz to submit claims online, which can be done here.
