BAY CITY -- A Mid-Michigan funeral home manager has been charged for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars in pre-paid funeral funds and insurance premiums.
The officer of Attorney General Bill Schuette reports 41-year-old Erica Cederberg Kaznowski allegedly embezzled about $436,000 while she managed Stapish-Cederberg Funeral Home West and Staphis-Cederberg Funeral Home East from January 2005 through June 2011. The Attorney General reports she targeted approximately 89 victims.
Schuette reports that in one instance, Kaznowski reportedly told a family that they had been denied access to funds, when actually they were entitled to funeral expenses.
The alleged embezzlement of funds was discovered during an audit performed by the Bureau of Commercial Services in September.
Kaznowski has been charged with seven counts of embezzlement, a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine or three times the amount embezzled. She has also been charged with one count of conducting criminal enterprises (racketeering). A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine.
To read the entire written complaint report from Attorney General Bill Schutte’s office, click here.
