EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — Kerry Aresco’s elderly mom is just one of many victims whose funeral fund was allegedly embezzled by Philip Petras, a former Connecticut funeral director who faces multiple charges.

He was a man they trusted. Aresco described the moment she found out there was no money in her mother’s escrow account as unbelievable.

She said that she looked into her mother's escrow accounts this summer after Pietras was charged with embezzling money from clients' prepaid funeral funds.

In September, Pietras faced even more charges.

Pietras was charged with 20 counts of second-degree larceny and 60 counts of intent to defraud funeral service contracts. He was also charged in Coventry on 22 counts of selling a funeral service contract with intent to defraud, 11 counts of second-de

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