Burr Oak Cemetery Sold with condition|Your Funeral Guy

Burr Oak Cemetery has been sold with a condition. The price was not $25,000 but $110,000 Dollars. The deal included Cedar Park, which brought the total deal to 1 million dollars.

Click here to see a video on the The sale of Burr Oak Cemetery

Burr Oak Cemetery was the cemetery where less than a year ago it was discovered that over 300 graves were desecrated and bones were piled up all over the cemetery.

There is a catch to the deal: It’s contingent on obtaining permission to perform burials in 9 acres on the northern side of Burr Oak Cemetery. It’s the area the workers allegedly used as a dumping ground for human remains.

“It’s very important to get the cemetery into the hands of qualified operators who have the funds to run it the way it should be run,” said Robert Fishman, Burr Oak debtors’ attorney.

via abclocal.go.com

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

The Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal inspired Congressman Bobby Rush to introduce the Bereaved Consumers Bill Of Rights Act of 2009.

New Lawsuit In Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|YourFuneral Guy

There is a new lawsuit in the Burr Oak  Cemetery tragedy. It was Filed in Cook County circuit Court on Monday, April 26th 2010. The lady involved had multiple relatives remains desecrated.

The Burr Oak cemetery Scandal was exposed in July 2009. At the cemetery, 300 graves were desecrated and bones were piled up at various locations around the cemetery, in a horrifying scene.

New National Funeral and Cemetery legislation is making it’s way through Congress as a direct Response to this scandal. The legislation is called the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act of 2009.

Burr Oak Cemetery was sued today by a woman who says her relatives’ remains were knowingly desecrated in order to resell their burial plots.

Nellie Riley’s attorney filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging that the remains of her deceased mother, father, three brothers and sister were destroyed by cemetery staff. Hundreds of bodies at the cemetery were dug up to resell the plots for $300,000, the complaint says.

via www.chicagobreakingnews.com

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy Debates 2003 Burr Oak Perpetua CEO-On “Coverup” Memo

The other day I had a significant  E-mail exchange  with the former 2003 CEO Of Burr Oak Cemetery the memo exposed by Chuck Goudie Of ABC Local  last  Friday Night. The Email Exchange is presented here-there is no editorial  on this in this post beyond the E-mails.

From: “SLIVY@xxx.com” <SLIVY@xxx.com>
To: YourFuneralGuy@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, February 2, 2010 11:12:54 AM
Subject: Do You Ever Read The Background Information on The “News” You Pass Along?

The Memo Clearly points to a  Perpetua INC,  cover up of known Grave desecration with an effort to hide the  info from  ILLINOS COMPTROLLER OFFICE  EMPLOYEE DAVID FOLEY.  Perpetua is a Funeral and cemetery company owner the of Burr Oak Cemetery (Scandal). SHOW ME WHERE?

THE LATEST INFORMATION REVEALS PERPETUA INC AND SILVY EDMONDS COTTON  ATTEMPTING TO  COVER UP GRAVE DESECRATION, AND POSSIBLE GRAVE ROBBING at BURR OAK CEMETERY. SHOW ME WHERE?

Astute lawyers and victims have included Perpetua Inc and Silvy Cotton in their lawsuits. ARE YOU ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SUE ME BASED ON YOUR FAULTY ANALAYSIS?

The 2003 Memo related to possible desecrations of graves that I uncovered which I believed to have occurred over decades; a point that would be clear to anyone who read the complete files I submitted to the FBI several months ago, but should be clear to anyone who can read the Memo that was posted online.  Since it was I who investigated the finding in 2003, and it was I who contacted our attorney to find out who in the Comptroller’s office we should report the incident to; and it was I who was told to contact David Foley in the Comptroller’s office; and since it was I who contacted David Foley and set up the meeting that the Comptroller’s office confirms did occur; and since it was I who provided the Memo to the FBI several months ago who the hell are you to even suggest that I hid any information from David Foley or the Comptroller’s office? Did you read any of the information? I have consulted with a couple of people in the industry who told me to just ignore you since you are viewed as somewhat of a hack, however, my attorney is concerned that you are slandering my name and character. If it doesn’t stop I WILL take legal action against you.

If you were anything of a Consumer advocate you should be questioning whether there was a scandal in July 2009 at all. Does it seem strange to you that the crime scene and the area I identified in 2003 are one and the same? You should be questioning why Burr Oak Cemetery was INVADED with the entire cemetery turned upside down, when a cemetery with almost twice as many allegations in California during the same timeframe didn’t suffer a similar approach.  Find the answer to those questions and then you can consider yourself relevant. Otherwise, stop trying to turn facts into gossip.

Sincerely,Slivy Edmonds Cotton  (This is my correct name)

Slivy Edmonds Cotton  (This is my correct name)

Here is the First Response:

Hello,

The memo clearly reveals grave desecrations -and that you did not think the info would go to the comptroller-although you clearly placed the blame on previous owner. There is no evidence that you revealed the problem to Law enforcement authorities. In fact what is stated is that you did not think the comptroller would find out.

Show Me answer “I am not sure he would want to report anything to the Comptroller that would be unpleasant”

I am totally in my rights to my opinion on this memo posted at  the Capital Fax blog
I am not encouraging people to sue you- people are suing you which is all that I stated.
I apologize for spelling your name wrong.It is being Corrected.

I have reported extensively on The other Scandal Eden Memorial Park and the antics of Service Corporation International.

Your Funeral Guy

Here is my second response

Re: Do You Ever Read The Background Information on The “News” You Pass Along?

Tue, February 2, 2010 12:59:42 PM

From:	Robert Burkhardt <yourfuneralguy@yahoo.com>  … Add to Contacts
To:	SLIVY@xxx.com

---

Calling me a hack, is slander, but there is no surprise funeral industry folks say that as i have exposed fraud in the Illinois Funeral Directors Association and NFDA leadership. Please let me know who stated that

Your Funeral Guy.

Here is Slivy Cotton’s reply

From: “SLIVY@xxx.com” <SLIVY@xxx.com>
To: yourfuneralguy@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, February 2, 2010 1:38:57 PM
Subject: Re: Do You Ever Read The Background Information on The “News” You Pass Along

In a message dated 2/2/2010 12:15:11 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, yourfuneralguy@yahoo.com writes:

Hello,

The memo clearly reveals grave desecrations –and that you did not think the info would go to the comptroller-although you clearly placed the blame on previous owner. There is no evidence that you revealed the problem to Law enforcement authorities. In fact what is stated is that you did not think the comptroller would find out. This is just patently false. Perhaps you read you just don’t understand what you read.

I said the attorney to whom our attorney was speaking who was a friend of the Comptroller might not might not want to report something to the Comptroller that might be unpleasant. It was our job to get to the Comptroller and that is what happened.

Show Me answer “I am not sure he would want to report anything to the Comptroller that would be unpleasant”

I am totally in my rights to my opinion on this memo posted at  the Capital Fax blog

Your opinions don’t reflect the facts.  Have you read the statements from the Comptroller’s office that confirm that I met with them; disclosed that we had found remains there and sought their advice on how to proceed. What part of that leads you to an OPINION that I was trying to cover up anything and keep anything from David Foley?

You opinion is baseless and is slander. The Memo is part of a 15 page document that lays out a plan of action and recommendations to which you obviously haven’t been privy to. Notwithstanding that the Memo you did read DOES NOT lead to your opinion.

Slivy Edmonds Cotton

I am not encouraging people to sue you- people are suing you which is all that I stated.
I apologize for spelling your name wrong.It is being Corrected.

I have reported extensively on The other Scandal Eden Memorial Park and the antics of Service Corporation International.

Your Funeral Guy

Here is my Final response

Re: Do You Ever Read The Background Information on The “News” You Pass Along

…

Tue, February 2, 2010 2:37:49 PM

From:	Robert Burkhardt <yourfuneralguy@yahoo.com>  … Add to Contacts
To:	SLIVY@xxx.com

---

Hello,
The matter clearly was not reported to law Enforcement-by you or the Comptroller’s Office.  Crimes Committed  were not reported. AS I HAVE STATED OVER AND OVER- THE COMPTROLLER IS NOT THE PROPER AUTHORITY.
THE SHERIFF WAS  NOT INFORMED.

Working through the comptroller was a cover up in itself- The comptroller had no authority in Cemetery operations.(only preneed trust funds).
This is all over the news and my blog. Whether you realize it or not the Perpetua Lawyer, had you cover up.He knew the authority of the Comptroller was limited to preneed funds.

Your Lawyer advised you to cover up 1.By Going to The Comptrollers Office 2). By Going to Foley, Dan Hynes may not have been told about it. There is no proof that comptroller investigators took the info anywhere even with a meeting.“I am not sure he would want to report anything to the Comptroller that would be unpleasant“( The investigative meeting angle has been played out before in Illinois Funeral Directors association Theft with no appropriate action or reporting to higher ups).

As far as e-mails from the comptrollers office-they are posted on my blog. They Continue on Both Burr Oak and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association. That makes me a Hack?

Like it or not you covered up.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News| Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy

IL Gov Campaign-Quinn Cries Hynes Cover Up in 2 Funeral Scams|YourFuneralGuy

In the Last Day of the Democratic Campaign for Illinois Governor Quinn is screaming  at Hynes “Cover up” in 2 Illinois Funeral Scandals. Scandal #1: The Burr Oak Cemetery Grave Desecration.  Scandal #2 the Illinois Funeral Directors Preneed Ponzi Scheme.

The smoking gun for Dan Hynes appears to be a memo that surfaced Friday(Jan. 29th)  in  Channel 7 news report. The memo shows that  Comptroller Hynes office knew of body desecration and grave stacking at Burr Oak Cemetery in 2003.

Hynes had no regulatory authority in “Cemetery Operations” but could have turned the matter over to law enforcement.

The same is true in the Great  Illinois Funeral Directors Association  Preneed ponzi scheme. Hynes had limited authority in that insurance scam  and choose not to turn the matter over to law enforcement or prosecution early on.

Funeral  and Cemetery fraud should always be prosecuted, That said the memo shows that the perpetrators(coverup) in Burr Oak are  Perpetua and  Manager Silvy Cotton.

In The IFDA Preneed Trust Scam the perpetrators(coverup) was done by the association ‘s leadership.

Unfortunately For Dan Hynes the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal may well be the most horrific in the nations history, and the IFDA Preneed Insurance scam is the greatest insurance scam in the history of the State of Illinois.

These scandals spelled well publicized catastrophe and happened under the Comptrollers watch. He had limited regulatory authority in each matter which makes it look like a coverup.  This situation for “Hynes” may  cost him the governorship. Quinn knows knows these facts but is using them to his advantage…..

State of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn

Funeral Industry, Funeral News Funeral, Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

All summed up at the Capitol Fax Blog.…quoting Quinn’s spokesperson.

“Over the past months, as the scandal at Burr Oak Cemetery and the $100 million collapse of a statewide pre-need funeral trust fund have unfolded, Comptroller Hynes has repeatedly covered up,

Illinois Politicos try to cremate Comptroller on Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal-YourFuneralGuy

It appears that some  Illinois Politicians are trying to throw Dan Hynes into the Cremation chamber.

Political Leaders tried to cremate  candidate Hynes on the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal at an SEIU Rally Saturday. The Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal, may be the worst in the Nations History.

Evidence Surfaced that Hynes knew about the Scandal in 2003 on Friday Night in both a  Burr Oak Cemetery Memo and a Illinois Office of Comptroller(IOC) Memo.

Quinn keeps hammering on Hynes incompetence on the Burr cemetery situation in a tv ad.

Hynes said he tried to encourage the owner of Burr Oak Perpetua  Inc. to do the right thing. but the revealed memo shows a cover up  of Grave desecration by the Company.

We tried to point [Perpetua] in the right direction to make sure they were following proper channels,” Hynes said.

via www.suntimes.com

Hynes  “not my job” response in the Burr Oak Cemertery Scandal  may cost him  the nomination for Governor. Political candidates are not the real culprits here, but  the Perpetua Company  and it’s owners are.

Following a get-out-the-vote rally with members of the Service Employees’ International Union, Quinn alleged Hynes knew of improper disposal of human remains and didn’t do anything about it.

“They were given specific information that they knew, that they acknowledge there were human remains not properly disposed of at the cemetery,” Quinn said. “Now the proper thing to do would have been to immediately investigate that, as he did with other cemeteries in Illinois, but they decided not to do anything. And I think they owe the people an explanation for why not and an apology for not acting properly.”

Rush, an African-American congressman from the South Side, said Hynes’ failure to act earlier was a disservice to the black community.

“He was so uncaring, so callous, so cavalier that he didn’t even lift a finger. Didn’t bat an eye, didn’t do anything,” Rush said. “The gall of this man to come now to ask for our votes for governor– when he has been probably the most callous comptroller in the history of this country when it relates to the pain and suffering of our community.”

via newsblogs.chicagotribune.com

Congressman Bobby Rush introduced  “FUNERAL AND CEMETERY REFORM”National Legislation after the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Link to Mindboggling Burr Oak Cemetery 2003 internal Memo-YourFuneralGuy

Illinois Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal Heating up the Illinois Governors Race

There is a link posted here to the mindbboggling  “Perpetua”  Burr Oak Internal Memo- from Silvy Cottton To Employees and or investors.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BURR OAK CEMETERY INTERNAL MEMO FROM 2003

A Friday night report by ABC CHICAGO revealed that The Illinois Comptroller Hynes office had the memo, and was aware of Potential  Burr Oak Cemetery  body desecration in 2003.

The Memo Clearly points to a  Perpetua INC,  cover up of known Grave desecration with an effort to hide the  info from  ILLINOS COMPTROLLER OFFICE  EMPLOYEE DAVID FOLEY.  Perpetua is a Funeral and cemetery company owner the of Burr Oak Cemetery (Scandal).

Comptroller Hynes Burr Oak Cemetery “not my job” regulating cemetery operations -RESPONSE- is true.  he only was responsible for Financial regulation. Still this does not play well with voters. The whole thing smacks of a smear campaign by sitting ILLINOIS governor Pat Quinn.

THE LATEST INFORMATION REVEALS PERPETUA INC AND SLIVY EDMONDS COTTON  ATTEMPTING TO  COVER UP GRAVE DESECRATION, AND POSSIBLE GRAVE ROBBING at BURR OAK CEMETERY.

Astute lawyers and victims have included Perpetua Inc and Slivy Cotton in their lawsuits.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News,  Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Source (Capitol Fax Blog)

Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax blog is the best blogger on Politics in the State of Illinois.

Illinois Governor Quinn Signs Cemetery Oversight Act-YourFuneralGuy

The State of Illinois has passed the Cemetery Oversight Act

The Governor of the State of Illinois Pat Quinn has signed the Illinois Cemetery Oversight Act. This was done on  the recommendation of the Cemetery Oversight Task Force after public hearings in Illinois in 2009 on the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal.

This is a leap forward  for the Funeral and Cemetery Consumers in the State of Illinois.

The Burr Oak  Cemetery Scandal occurred in  July 2009. This was a horrific situation in which over 300 graves were desecrated funds were pocketed from consumers. Four  people were arrested in this Scandal.

This Act will make Illinois one of the leading pro-consumer states with respect to cemetery oversight,” said Joshua Slocum, Executive Director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance.-via www.illinois.gov

Under the new Law Managers of private,cemeteries(non religious)  are required to obtain a license through the state. To obtain the cemetery  license, applicants must pass an exam, provide evidence of character, and comply with continuing education requirements.

A  “Worker’s Statement,”  is require for other Cemetery workers.detailing ones work history and other evidence of character.

The act also requires the creation of a statewide database to keep record of every burial. This will assist future generations in finding the location of a loved one’s remains and will help the state discover unlawful re-burials. It also requires cemeteries to post a sign in their office that contains the IDFPR consumer hotline number and information on how to file a complaint.via www.illinois.gov

Some of the activities the Cemetery Oversight Act prohibits are

unprofessional conduct

charging for services not performed

incompetence

failure to properly  maintain the cemetery grounds.

You can read more on the Historic Regulations of this new law here.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

The law is somewhat limited in it’s scope because it does not apply to religious Cemeteries.

“

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal 9,000 Graves beyond capacity-YourFuneralGuy

Burr Oak Cemetery: Illegal grave stacking has this scandal ridden site beyond capacity

The Burr Oak Cemetery is 9,000 graves beyond capacity. This according to Cook County Sheriff  Tom Dart. The Burr oak cemetery Scandal was one of the top funeral scandals in 2009 and the past decade. In July 2009,  4 people were arrested  and  over three hundred graves were found desecrated.

The legal impact on the owners of the company, Perpetua, Inc has  not been revealed. How could the owners not have know?. How could the executives at this neglectful company not be aware? Mismanagement definitely. Fraud Maybe. What will be the effect of this information on the many Burr Oak Cemetery Lawsuits?

Snippet:

CHICAGO — Law enforcement officials say a new study shows thousands more people may be buried at a suburban ChicagoCemetery than the land is supposed to hold.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says the study suggests the practice of stacking caskets on top of each other or simply discarding remains was far more common at Burr Oak Cemetery than they suspected.

via www.forbes.com

Sheriff Dart has handled this scandal well. But their appears to be no relief for those families who are victims of this national tragedy

The lesson for the funeral consumer here is to to research information on the funeral  or cemetery provider you do business with.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your funeral Guy Funeral Director, Illinois, Virginia

The Top 3 Funeral Scandals of 2009-YourFuneralGuy

Revealed Here are the  top 3 Funeral Scandals of 2009 with detailed explanations. Front and center in these Scandals are Service Corporation International, the Illinois Funeral Directors Association,  the National Funeral Directors Association’s Treasurer and  Perpetua, Inc the owner of  the Burr Oak Cemetery.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal

1. The Most significant and Far Reaching Funeral(& Cemetery) Scandal of 2009 was the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal outside of Chicago. (Alsip, IL) In July 2009 it was discovered that over 300 graves had been moved and  desecrated. Bones were piled up and scattered throughout the cemetery. Four people were arrested for grave desecration. Next to the Georgia Tri State  Crematory  Scandal(2002) and  The Service Corporation International Menorah Gardens &  Funeral Chapels 2001 Scandal in West Palm Beach FL, this is probably the worst Funeral and Cemetery Scandal in the ending  decade. The owner of the neglected Cemetery, Perpetua Inc has escaped consequences along with the Funeral Homes involved on The South side of Chicago.

Good things have come out of this Scandal: Cemetery reform is on the way in Illinois and nationally  The Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act was proposed in Congress.

Up to 500 Graves desecrated here

2. On the heels of the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal came the Eden Memorial Park Scandal in Los Angeles. This is a Service Corporation International Cemetery were over 500 graves were either moved or desecrated. Eden Memorial Park was a much higher end Cemetery.  This shows the world that Funeral and Cemetery Scandal  everyone

Click Here for details of the Eden Memorial Park Lawsuit

3. In 2009 the Illinois Funeral Directors Association Insurance Ponzi Scheme was brought into the Light. They lost 42 million dollars before the Wall Street melt down in 2008. Losses have ballooned to over 100 million dollars The leaders of the association misappropriated the  preneed trust funds (IFDA Preneed Trust).

The Comptroller of the State of Illinois in 2009  stated in a press release that the leaders of the association stole the money.  One of the Main players in the scandal is Randall L Earl current treasurer of the NFDA, who has refused to resign his position despite his involvement.

Sadly those Funeral Directors( Lawsuit Calvert Funeral Homes et al) that sued the association over their preneed commissions did not do due diligence with their families preneed funds. They did not keep track of the money themselves, their responsibility. Instead they blamed their association and filed lawsuits.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by your funeral guy

Burr Oak Cemetery scandal|more grave desecrations.-YourFuneralGuy

Latest in the Butr Oak Cemetery Scandal

Burr Oak Cemetery is having more Grave problems. These are amounting to unintentional grave  desecration. When attempting new burials graves are being disturbed. In spite of Court supervision the owners Perpetua, Inc. have not been able to straighten out the chaos there.

Recently while conducting burials, the continued situation of Graves and bodies have been discovered in the wrong locations. This is a result of the owners, Perpetua Inc original mismanagement of the cemetery.

This was reported recently by the Chicago Tribune.

Meanwhile, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart again called for burials at Burr Oak to be halted. Dart said his records show there have been five to seven incidents of discovered caskets and remains.

“We should not go through this exercise of torturing people,” he said. “Having them come out for a burial and find out there’s someone already there. We need to have these people step back and get it right and at that point they can go ahead with burials.”

via www.chicagobreakingnews.com

The insensitivity to the bereaved continues at Burr Oak even today. This is beyond horrific. The Culprit is clear in this matter. Perpetua, Inc.

Not only is there not justice here, the world of hurt continues

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy