Fact Check: "Hallford defrauded families and government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID aid!"
What We Know
Jon M. Hallford, the owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was ordered to pay restitution of $1,070,413.74, which includes funds defrauded from the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications. From March 2020 to March 2022, Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, submitted false information to obtain COVID-19 relief funds totaling $882,300 through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was designed to assist businesses affected by the pandemic (source-1).
In addition to the fraud against the government, Hallford mishandled at least 190 bodies over a four-year period, collecting over $130,000 from families for funeral services that were never performed. Instead of cremating or burying these bodies, he allowed them to decay within the funeral home and provided families with urns filled with concrete instead of ashes (source-2).
Analysis
The claim that Hallford defrauded families and the government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID aid is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has detailed the fraudulent activities in official press releases, which are reliable due to their legal and governmental nature. The amounts mentioned, including the $882,300 received through the EIDL program, are explicitly stated in the legal documents and press releases (source-1, source-2).
Moreover, the severity of Hallford's actions, including the mishandling of bodies and exploitation of grieving families, has been reported by major news outlets such as CNN and NBC News, which further corroborate the claims made against him (source-4, source-5). These sources provide additional context and detail about the nature of the fraud and the legal proceedings.
While the claim is serious and involves significant emotional and financial harm to families, the evidence presented in official statements and news reports supports the assertion that Hallford's fraudulent activities amounted to nearly $900,000 in COVID aid fraud.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that Jon Hallford defrauded families and the government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID aid is accurate. The evidence from official government sources and reputable news outlets confirms that Hallford engaged in fraudulent activities, resulting in significant financial gain through deceitful means.
Sources
- Colorado Springs Funeral Home Operator Sentenced in Gruesome Fraud Scheme - Justice.gov
- Nature Funeral Home Owners Charged for Defrauding Clients, Defrauding Paycheck Protection Program - Justice.gov
- Colorado funeral home owner who stashed decomposing bodies sentenced - CNN
- Colorado funeral home owner accused of stashing nearly 190 bodies - NBC News
