Published on: November 29, 2025, 11:26 AM.
Updated on: November 29, 2025, 11:26 AM.
- A Connecticut funeral director allegedly misappropriated funds from pre-payment accounts as personal assets.
- Philip Pietras is charged with gambling away millions at various casinos nationwide.
Recent accusations have emerged against a Connecticut funeral director suspected of misusing clients’ deposits intended for pre-arranged funerals to support his gambling addiction.
In April, Philip Pietras, 51, faced charges from Connecticut State Police regarding first-degree larceny by embezzlement. Numerous clients of Pietras Family Funeral Homes have reported that their prepayment accounts appear to be missing.
Until a recent warrant was issued by Connecticut Superior Court, Pietras was free on a $200K bail. He voluntarily surrendered on November 25 at 7:15 AM.
Pietras is now charged with 31 counts of unfair trade practices, three counts of first-degree larceny, and 14 counts of second-degree larceny, adding to the initial charge of first-degree larceny by embezzlement.
These additional charges arose from a state police investigation which included interviews with former employees and clients of Pietras Family Funeral Homes, located in Coventry, East Windsor, Tolland, and Vernon.
Funeral Expenses Funded Gambling Ventures
Pietras is accused of breaching state funeral laws that mandate funeral homes and directors deposit funds for future services into strictly managed escrow accounts. Employees reported that it was standard practice for checks for prearranged services to be handed directly to Pietras, who was expected to deposit those funds into escrow.
Investigations revealed that funds for a minimum of 31 clients were never deposited as required, instead being diverted to Pietras’ personal accounts. He allegedly utilized that money for gambling at Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, and additional casinos across the country, reaching as far as Florida, Massachusetts, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas.
Authorities claim that Pietras’ actions defrauded over 100 individuals, including an elderly relative aged 86 and individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, prosecutors suspect that Pietras violated health and zoning regulations by residing at the Coventry location of his funeral home.
At MGM Springfield, investigators, with the cooperation of MGM Resorts, uncovered that Pietras’ player rewards card indicated “slot coin in” earnings exceeding $8,472,050.82. At Mohegan Sun, records show he lost over $1.22 million between January 2010 and November 2024. Tracking revealed he gambled upwards of $8.15 million at Foxwoods.
The Connecticut State Police investigation revealed that Pietras was a heavy alcohol consumer. Additionally, it found that his estranged wife, Jessica, also engaged in significant gambling and excessive drinking.
The arrest warrant indicates that Jessica Pietras reportedly gambled over $535,000 at MGM Springfield.
Loss of Funeral License
Prearranged funeral services offer individuals the chance to specify their desired services, alleviating financial stress for their families. Unfortunately, Pietras’ alleged misconduct adds to the distress of his alleged victims.
In July, Pietras’ funeral director license was revoked by the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Embalmers and Funeral Directors, as the agency concluded he was unfit to continue holding a license in light of the numerous allegations against him.
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