Tipene Funerals ex-employee Fiona Bakulich burial scams: Two years jail for disgraced ex-undertaker

Tipene Funerals former undertaker Fiona Bakulich during sentencing at the Auckland District Court.

The Herald’s earlier coverage of Fiona Bakulich’s offending stated “several” bodies were placed in bags instead of the coffins that had been paid for. The coverage has been amended to clarify that the Herald spoke to two families who claimed Bakulich placed their loved ones in bags within unlined coffins.

The Herald acknowledges Bakulich was only sentenced in relation to one charge of interfering with human remains in relation to one body. Amendments have also been made to clarify that Bakulich’s other offending related to fraudulent behaviour in connection with burials.

A former Tipene funeral director found guilty of misconduct in relation to burials has been sentenced to more than two years in jail.

Fiona Bakulich, a then-employee of Tipene Funerals and a star in the company’s reality television show The Casketeers, in February pleaded guilty to charges of interfering with human remains and obtaining by deception.

The Auckland funeral director was convicted of defrauding her grieving clients.

Today Judge Evangelos Thomas said to Bakulich: “You looked them [the victims] so softly in the eye, and stabbed them so ruthlessly in the back.

The victims “wanted ... peace and dignity and respect for their loved ones,” but Bakulich’s deception had denied them of it.

“The harm goes way beyond the money.”

He sentenced her to 2 years, 3 months jail in the Auckland District Court. The judge gave discounts for her guilty pleas.

Courtroom packed for sentencing

It was standing room only with supporters and family of the former undertaker, as well as the families of her victims, packed into courtroom seven waiting for her to have her sentence handed down.

Sitting in the dock Bakulich wore rosary beads and a scapular around her neck. The scapular carried the phrase: “Whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire”.

During today’s sentencing the police prosecutor read victim impact statements from affected families who were granted permanent name suppression.

“Today’s 14 months to the day our beautiful mother passed away. We put our trust and faith in our funeral director who our mother had requested before her passing.

“Over the past year, we have not even been able to fully grieve our mother. Losing our mum was hard enough without disclosing the aftermath.

“It has been nothing but overbearing, overwhelming, soul-destroying, and realising there is no amount that could be compensated. We have been stripped of all the most precious moments with out mother, all because of an opportunist, who actually thought it was her right to exploit her authority,” he told the court.

“Why? For what purpose does this serve you? Fiona Bakulich made a choice, premeditated and planned. The damage and trauma is of an unfathomable scale. Honestly, I think Fiona has no integrity, not one empathetic bone in her body. She is the epitome of soulless,” the court heard.

A second victim told the court having to go through the lies at such a difficult time was one of the worst experiences ever.

“To find out about this broke me. To rob people during the worst time … I have no words for it. You have to have no heart to lie to people during such a time.“

Another victim said it was such a shame to have to relive their father’s death so often.

“My family and I have been deeply affected by Fiona’s actions. The celebration of my fathers life has been ruined by police statements. Instead of caring for us, she chose to trick us during a vulnerable time.”

In February, Fiona Bakulich pleaded guilty on charges against her. Photo / Michael Craig

Offending uncovered by Cyclone Gabrielle

Bakulich’s offending, which was found out by chance after a natural disaster, stretched back to 2017 and continued until last year.

Several bodies Bakulich handled and interred at a public mausoleum in West Auckland had to be removed due to damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

Bereft families were there when their loved ones’ bodies were removed. And when the caskets were taken out and lifted, it was revealed a $3000 metal inner casket required for mausoleums and paid for by the families was missing. “When the families opened up the caskets, it was just a whole other level of grief. There was just wailing and screaming,” a relative told the Herald.

An exclusive Herald investigation unearthed the scam buried in the country’s largest cemetery in August after several families went public with accusations against Bakulich.

It was then revealed police had earlier launched an investigation into reports of financial crime, but had dropped the case due to insufficient evidence.

After the Herald’s report, police launched a new probe into accusations Bakulich mishandled burials, arrested her and put her before court in October.

Bakulich then pleaded guilty on all charges in February.

Bakulich ultimately pocketed more than $15,000 from her grieving clients.

She has made no statements to police, the court or media about her actions.

An exclusive Herald investigation unearthed the rot hidden in the country’s largest cemetery in August after several families went public with accusations against Bakulich. Photos / Michael Craig, Facebook

Another Auckland funeral director was arrested last month in connection with the scam and faces three charges, including interfering with human remains. He has name suppression and pleaded not guilty, electing trial by jury.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.