The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Tuesday was accused of robbing consumers who lost loved ones thousands of dollars and failing to make cemetery markers on time or at all operating an Upper Darby headstone and carving business. He said he had reached a settlement with Mr.
Under the settlement, owners of 1843 LLC, Gregory J. Stefan Sr., Gregory J. Stefan Jr., and Gerard Stefan, are barred from the tombstone business and must pay restitution, Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry said. The amount to be returned was not specified.
A judge must approve the settlement before it becomes effective and will also determine the civil penalties that will be imposed.
“The Stefan family not only took advantage of people, they preyed on loved ones who were grieving during difficult times in their lives,” Henry said in a statement. A full recovery for all consumers is ultimately assured, and the Office of the Attorney General will continue to use all tools to ensure that Pennsylvanians are treated fairly.”
Stefan Sr. was originally sued by the Attorney General’s Office in 2015 as the sole operator of Lifestone by Stefan, LLC and Stefan Memorials, Inc.
That lawsuit ended in a settlement and court order, but former Attorney General Josh Shapiro accused Stephen Sr. of violating the terms of the agreement. This resulted in a judgment of more than $300,000 and an injunction barring Stefan Sr. from owning, controlling, or being significantly involved in a business that provides or engraves gravestones to consumers.
But before that injunction, Stephen and his sons set up a new business under the name 1843 LLC.
The Office of the Attorney General has filed suit again in 2021.
The tombstone business associated with Stefans has a history of complaints. Since 2015, local news outlets have reported difficulties obtaining consumer-paid tombstones. The Better Business Bureau, a non-profit organization that evaluates businesses based on their reliability, gave Stefan’s Lifestone an “F”.
In 2021, Stephen Jr. was arrested by the Yaedon City Police Department for theft and related crimes related to his gravestone business. That case is still ongoing, according to court records.
Attorney Michael J. Malloy, who is representing Stephen Jr. in the case, was not available for comment Tuesday night.
Stefan’s family could not be reached for comment.
“The Stefan family not only took advantage of people, they preyed on loved ones who were grieving during difficult times in their lives,” Acting Attorney General Henry said. “This settlement will ultimately ensure a full recovery for all affected Pennsylvania consumers.”