TARGET 13: Families accuse local cremation company of holding loved ones’ remains hostage

Families across the country are accusing a locally based cremation service company of scamming them and holding their loved ones’ remains “hostage” until they pay up.

The Colorado Springs Better Business Bureau launched an investigation into Heritage Cremation Provider after it said it saw a pattern of complaints. Jonathan Liebert, the CEO of the local BBB, said customers across the country complain Heritage Cremation provider would set a price with customers and then later ask for hundreds of dollars more.

In multiple instances, customers said the company refused to release the loved ones’ remains unless people paid hundreds of dollars more than what was negotiated.

“No. 1 you’ve got the death of a loved one, from a family perspective, so that’s already traumatic for folks. And then you have an agency who is in some cases, could be seen re-victimizing the family,” said Liebert.

A family in Littleton and a family in Michigan said it took more than a month to track down their loved ones’ remains.

After his mother-in-law passed away, Ed Svercauski researched cremation providers online. He said he read a few reviews on Heritage Cremation Provider’s website and thought the company seemed like a good fit. The company works as a middle man, arranging services through local crematories. They worked out a price for the service, $700 dollars.

Svercauski said within days, the company pulled a fast one on them. Svercauski said the company started demanding hundreds of dollars more than they agreed upon and said the Svercauskis’ wouldn’t get their loved ones remains until they paid up.

“These people are criminals and they are taking advantage of grieving families and that’s sick,” said Ed Svercauski.

“I can’t even explain the stress it puts on you not knowing where your loved one is, sleepless nights,” said Kim Svercauski.

The Svercauskis said they begged for their loved one’s ashes for weeks. At one point, the couple said the company started firing off cruel comments and blaming his mother-in-law’s weight for the additional costs.

“They were going to need a shipping crate to burn her in and because of her size, and the shipping crate, she was going to have extra burn time. That’s the kind of stuff we heard,” said Kim Svercauski.

In Michigan, Charles Patterson’s family felt the same pain. His son Jason Patterson contacted Heritage Cremation Provider to set up his dad’s cremation. Jason Patterson said almost immediately, things went wrong.

“You’re already hurting and its an awful time to be taken advantage of. And knowing that you’re being taken advantage of in the moment just makes you very, very angry,” said Jason Patterson.

For weeks, Jason Patterson said he called relentlessly, trying to track down his father’s remains. The family wanted to cherish Charles Patterson’s remains at a memorial service, and instead, Jason Patterson said he spent weeks stressed about trying to find out where his dad went. He said Heritage Cremation Provider refused to tell him and demanded more money.

“We were just going around and around in circles and then they would just demand money. At one point they said they wouldn’t give me any more information until I paid the bill which was higher than what we’d asked for,” said Jason Patterson.

Heritage Cremation Provider’s mailing address is on Telstar Drive in Northeastern Colorado Springs. The company rents a virtual office space so while their mail goes there, owners AJ and Joseph Damiano actually work in the building.

The following states have banned the company or issued warnings: Florida, Tennessee and Oregon.

In a separate case more than a decade ago, the Florida Funeral Board stripped Joseph Damiano of his licenses. He was known as the Body Baron of Boward County. He built his business cremating and transporting corpses. But in 2000, investigators said he rented out bodies for embalming by mortuary students without families’ permission.

Now, victims believe the company rents a virtual office space in Colorado Springs to utilize a loophole in Colorado law.

Mortuary Science professor Martha Thayer said Colorado is the only state that doesn’t require licensing of individuals. In all other states, there is a form of licensing for funeral directors and/or embalmers.

“It emboldens people because they have a misconception that we don’t have laws regarding funeral services,” said Thayer.

Thayer said in the 1980s, the state was looking for ways to cut costs. There were very few complaints coming to the Funeral Service Board so the state decided to eliminate it.

“When people think that there is not licensing and there is not tracking of individuals, it’s going to be easier to come in, to set up shop, to do whatever they are going to do, with the misconception that they aren’t going to be held accountable. But the truth is, there are safety nets in place,” said Thayer.

Now, people can file complaints through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and it will investigate.

“It’s not a fool-proof system by any means, but it’s better than what we’ve had in the past,” said Thayer.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 tried repeatedly to speak with Heritage Cremation Provider. An employee for the company said the owners had “no comment” and would not allow KRDO NewsChannel 13 to speak with either AJ or Joseph Damiano. When asked about the complaints against the company, the employee said the allegations are “untrue and unfounded.”

To click a complaint through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, click here.

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