NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – A former Massachusetts funeral director who pleaded guilty to embezzling money from dozens of clients and improperly caring for dead bodies has been ordered to pay nearly $500,000 in restitution.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette reports that a court judgment Thursday orders 55-year-old William Ryder to pay $471,446.
Ryder is serving a two-year jail sentence after pleading guilty in November to 69 counts of larceny and five counts of improper disposition of a human body.
Prosecutors say Ryder took money from clients who thought they were pre-paying for funeral arrangements then funneled it into personal business accounts.
Nearly $302,000 in proceeds from the sale of Ryder's business and home is being held in trust by the state.
Ryder Funeral Home in South Hadley has since been closed.
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Information from: Daily Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, Mass.), http://www.gazettenet.com
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