The city has reached a $700,000 settlement with a Bronx-based funeral home operator accused of unfair business practices and improper handling of remains. The settlement, announced Aug. 26, includes $600,000 restitution to affected families plus $100,000 in civil penalties.
R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home — which has four of its eight locations in the Bronx — was accused of targeting Spanish-speaking customers in its “deceptive business practices,” including overcharging, failing to provide services paid for, and failing to disclose pricing.
The company was also accused of failing to dress and prepare bodies for funerals, misplacing and mishandling remains, and other lapses that exacerbated the pain for grieving families, according to the complaint filed by the city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) in April.
The Bronx Times reached out to R.G. Ortiz for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
The city sued the company after DCWP investigated families’ complaints submitted to the agency, the Better Business Bureau and online review sites such as Yelp. DCWP investigated at least 78 complaints and charged R.G. Ortiz with 82 violations.
“It is unimaginable that in a family’s hardest moments of grief, they would be exploited and taken advantage of,” said Mayor Eric Adams in announcing the settlement. “We will always fight to protect working-class people and today we have some solace that this unscrupulous actor is being held to account.”
Under the settlement, 28 customers will collectively receive payments of over $100,000 each, leaving the remaining $500,000 for customers who have not yet come forward, according to the announcement.
“Money will never heal the wounds R.G. Ortiz’s conduct inflicted, but we’re proud to hold this business accountable and secure justice for our neighbors,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga.
The city encourages customers who believe they were harmed by R.G. Ortiz between Jan. 1, 2018, and Aug. 22, 2024, to submit claims online in English or Spanish.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
