R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home Inc., a chain with eight locations stretching across the Bronx and Manhattan, is under legal fire for its allegedly exploitative treatment of grieving families.
Now, the city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection is suing the funeral home business that is popular amongst Spanish-speaking communities across the city. The lawsuit seeks restitution to the customers and civil penalties for the company.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, R.G. Ortiz used deceptive and opaque business practices, including refusing families information about the whereabouts of their loved ones’ remains, concealing service prices, and failing to provide services that were paid for.
The suit states that complaints were filed by 48 consumers who sought services from the company since 2019, in addition to the business’s Yelp and Google pages being filled with negative reviews and comments.
A DCWP investigation born out of these complaints concluded that the funeral service provider’s conduct “systemically violates the laws and rules of the City of New York,” as the lawsuit says.
“The alleged violations by R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes are appalling and unacceptable,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “No family in New York City should ever have to endure predatory treatment, especially during their time of grief and mourning.”
R.G. Ortiz has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit or the various complaints from past customers.
One of the most common specific instances amongst the alleged complaints made against the chain was customers being mislead about how long it would take to get their deceased loved ones’ remains back, as cited in the lawsuit.
According to officials, at least 11 customers reported that the funeral service provider said it would take two to three weeks to return cremated ashes, only to leave them waiting for months, ignoring requests for updates.
According to the DCWP Commissioner, Vilda Vera Mayuga, there are several precautionary measures New Yorkers seeking funeral services should take to avoid being exploited, including scheduling an arrangement conference to go over costs of services and options, asking for itemized receipts, and remembering they have a right to change their mind.
“There’s a number of violations that they committed, and so we’re seeking restitution for consumers and really urging anyone who has experienced similar deceptive practices by R.G. Ortiz to reach out to us immediately,” said Mayuga.
