Don’t want to judge someone based on prior actions, but many times…sometimes…ok. A lot of times, an offender engages in more than one crime at a time. For instance, Jon and Carie Hallford. The Halfords were arrested in November of last year after a hundred and ninety decaying bodies were discovered around the property of the funeral home business they owned. Turns out, at the time of Halfords murder indictment, they had apparently committed COVID-19 loan fraud. Committing fraud against the U.S taxpayer would be relatively easy, when surrounded by one hundred and ninety decaying bodies that they have neglected.
On April 15, 2024, the federal court alleges that the Halfords fraudulently obtained COVID-19 Relief funds on behalf of their business. The business of leaving dead bodies in their yard, instead of cremating like they promised. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the Halfords withheld the information in the application that Jon Hallford owed back child support. A fact that would have disqualified him immediately from any COVID-19 loan program. However, based on the fraudulent application, the Halford’s obtained pandemic relief funds totaling $882,300.
The Halfords used the funds that they were awarded to buy items for themselves, including cars, vacations, dinners, tuition for their child, cryptocurrency, cosmetic procedures, and jewelry. None of the proceeds were put into the business that they claimed was hurting due to the pandemic. And none of the funds went towards child support.
The couple have yet to enter a plea to the COVID-19 loan fraud charges, as well as to the state’s abuse of corpse charges. The Hallford’s seem to think that silence is the best policy.
Excellent job by the Colorado Buruea of Investigations.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Decaying bodies were found at a Colorado funeral home. Owners charged with COVID fraud of $880K” published by The Colorado Sun on April 15, 2024
Jon and Carie Hallford are accused of using pandemic relief funds to buy cars, vacations, dinners, tuition for their child, cryptocurrency, cosmetic procedures and jewelry. Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, are each charged with 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, five counts of theft, four counts of money laundering and over 50 counts of forgery. De Wolf and Page are mothers of sons believed to be among the bodies found at the funeral home.
The couple who owned a Colorado funeral home where 190 decaying bodies were discovered last year have been indicted on federal charges for fraudulently obtaining nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds from the U.S. government, according to court documents unsealed Monday.
