$1.5M Headstone Scam Hit NJ Families, PA Man Faces 152 Years

Philadelphia, PA — A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to charges after authorities say he took more than $1.5 million from nearly 500 grieving families who paid for headstones and engraving services that were never delivered.

Earlier this week, 56-year-old Gregory J. Stefan, Jr., of Upper Merion, PA, entered his guilty plea to seven counts of wire fraud and four counts of filing a false tax return.

How the Headstone Scam Operated for Years

Federal authorities said from January 2018 to September 2023, Stefan operated two headstone businesses, 1843 LLC and Colonial Memorials, through which he collected large upfront payments, often the full purchase price, from families who had just lost loved ones. He then failed to deliver their orders.

When customers followed up on overdue orders, Stefan either ignored them or strung them along with assurances that delivery was coming, without actually taking any steps to follow through.

In total, nearly 500 customers were left without headstones or refunds, having paid Stefan more than $1.5 million combined.

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NJ Victims Among Those Defrauded

As part of his plea, Stefan accepted responsibility for similar crimes in 10 local cases across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, resulting in an additional $210,000 in losses to victims.

Tax Fraud

Stefan also pleaded guilty to four counts of filing false tax returns, having reported zero income on his federal returns each year from 2018 through 2021 despite collecting money from customers throughout that period.

Massive Prison Sentence Possible

When he is sentenced, he faces a maximum possible sentence of 152 years behind bars.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com