WINNIPEG — The director of a former Winnipeg funeral home has been charged with fraud after a lengthy police investigation.
Police began investigating in April 2018 a month after the Court of Queen’s Bench ordered Wheeler Funeral Home into receivership and appointed a trustee.
Investigators learned several people had purchased pre-arranged funeral plans, but were unable to ascertain the status of these plans.
Police say 76 pre-arranged funeral plans were sold between February 2006 and February 2018, totalling $175,000, but weren’t put into a trust.
Additional fraudulent activity was discovered between August 2006 and December 2017, totalling $50,000.
Police say 139 victims lost $300,000.
Chad Robert Wheeler, 46, has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. He was released on a promise to appear in court in January 2021.
