News 12 at 6 o'clock, May 13, 2009

AUGUSTA, Ga -- After more than seven months, Frank Griffin is finally talking about the trouble at his business from missing taxpayer dollars to criminal allegations.

And customers who say Griffin and his business took them to the bank, finally have their day in bankruptcy court.

News 12's Lynnsey Gardner is on your side asking Griffin the tough questions after breaking this story last October.

From the Georgia Department of Reveune, attorneys, a bankruptcy trustee to elderly men and women with walkers and canes, Frank Griffin faced a firing squad of questions and he tells us all he's innocent.

Griffin, "Everything is almost over. So i am feeling very good. People know I don't have their money so my name should be cleared in the Augusta area and the air."

Gardner, "Where is the money?"
Griffin, "I don't know, I plea the Fifth."

Frank Griffin, walking out of bankruptcy court believing one thing. "I'm clear, I'm clear."

He's in debt to more than 25 creditors more than $200,000 to the Georgia Department of Revenue alone. Griffin says he's accepted he's losing Dent's and maybe his home, but customers like Willie Williams say they've lost so much more.

His mother both planned and paid for her funeral at Dent's in the 1970s.

"She's slowly going down in health, she's just about fully dehydrated right now. If she makes it to the 23rd we'll say hallelujah she's 97-years-old."

Now, she's one of dozens who's money is gone. Williams, "This is definitely a criminal situation."

"I understand you're angry about your money, but don't say Frank spent your money, Frank did not spend your money." Explains Griffin to News 12. "If I spent all the money they say I spent, I'd be in the Cayman Islands or somewhere living it up. Why would I be in Augusta? Why would my house be almost in foreclosure if I had the money?"

Griffin, the owner, admits to News 12 and the court he cashed the preneeds checks. "I was asked how much can we get out of those checks. I brought that money back and the rest of the money we paid bills with it."

Gardner, "So it never went into a trust?"
Griffin" No, ma'am"
Gardner,"Even though that's what the law says."
Griffin,"That's what the law says, but it did not."

Without a license, Griffin shouldn't legally be doing anything with bodies or pre-needs money.

Since News 12 broke this story last October, the state opened two more investigations into Dent's including a criminal investigation by the State Board of Cemeterians for the preneed arrangements now gone. The Georgia Department of Revenue is also investigating, not paying the state sales tax dollars is also a crime. The State Board of Funeral Services is also currently investigating the former business.

Gardner asks Griffin, "So you don't think you've done anything criminally wrong to these people?"
Griffin,"No , I do not."
Gardner, "Even though the money is gone and these people, some of them are on their death beds and have no money to be buried with?"
Griffin"I don't think I've done anything criminally wrong and just like I explained to them inside, just give me a call... I have friends in high places so they will get buried."
Gardner, "But you won't tell us who will bury them?"
Griffin, "No. No."

People like Willie Williams aren't banking on Griffin's promises. They're having to look into buying funerals for a second time, but some elderly made it clear in court, any of their money is already spent and Dent's has it.

Frank Griffin's case is scheduled to be heard again in bankruptcy court on June 10, 2009 at 9 am. He does not have to be there. It's a meeting for his court appointed trustee to work out the logistics of his case with his creditors.

Den'ts Undertaking Establishment officially closed it's doors in March of 2009 after briefly being closed by the Georgia Department of Revenue last July. Griffin was able to reopen his business in August, by filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy claim; the case was later converted to a Chapter 7, which brings us to today.

If you have a pre-needs arrangement with Dent's, you must file your complaint with the US federal bankruptcy court by July 14th to have any chance at getting reimbursed.