New York City funeral home accused of deceptive practices, lawsuit says

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A local funeral home chain has come under fire for what the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection says are egregious practices that are exploitative of grieving families.

R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes Inc. has a slew of allegations levied against it, including presenting the remains of deceased loved ones in unacceptable conditions or refusing to provide information on the whereabouts of the remains.

There are eight locations in the Bronx and Manhattan and the funeral home primarily targets Spanish-speaking communities. DCWP's lawsuit is seeking restitution for consumers and civil penalties.

Since 2019, at least 48 families have filed complaints against the funeral home over various deceptive and predatory practices, DCWP officials said.

The lawsuit alleges that families arrived to find their deceased loved ones dressed backwards, some were forced to do the makeup of their loved one and others said remains were not transported for services as scheduled.

The family of the late Flora Jerez hired the R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home to arrange services but said they were left traumatized by the experience.

"The images of her decaying body is still very fresh in our mind," Flor Sosa, victim, said.

There were also claims that the funeral home misrepresented the cost of various services and failed to provide viewing rooms and prayer cards.

Others said they either got the remains of their cremated family later than expected or had to sift through a pile of others to find what belonged to them.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke out about the claims and said no family should have to experience what has been alleged.

"The alleged violations by R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes is appalling and unacceptable," Adams said. "No family in New York City should ever have to endure predatory treatment, especially during their time of grief and mourning."

The city is seeking restitution for the victims and civil penalties. The owners declined to comment on the claims.

Ian Chaikin, personal attorney for the family of Flora Jerez, said he doesn't expect the business to be standing for much longer.

"The Ortiz funeral home should have limited days left in business. This place needs to be shut down," he said.

It's up to the state to revoke the license. They have declined to comment on the allegations, citing an ongoing investigation.

Consumers who believe they were deceived or exploited by R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes are encouraged to visit nyc.gov/DCWP or call 311 and say "R.G. Ortiz" to file a complaint.