Funeral Director Faces Charges for Pocketing Prepaid Funeral Payments

A Morocco, Ind. funeral director faces charges that he pocketed money for prepaid funeral plans instead of forwarding it to insurance companies, state police said.

H. Robert Lang, 41, of Morocco, was arrested Friday on 13 felony counts of insurance fraud following a three-month investigation by state police. The charges each carry a potential sentence of two years to eight years in prison.

Lang was being held Friday on $100,000 bond at the Newton County Jail in Kentland.

Police alleged that Lang, owner of Lang Funeral Home in Morocco about 50 miles northwest of Lafayette, collected payments from clients for prepaid funeral agreements but failed to turn the money over to insurance companies. Some clients became suspicious when they never received any policy information.

The Indiana Department of Insurance, the state attorney general’s office and the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency also took part in the investigation, state police said.