Former Tipene Funerals employee Fiona Bakulich pleads not guilty to charges of misconduct in relation to burials

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.

The former Tipene Funerals undertaker accused of misconduct in relation to burials pleaded not guilty to all charges in the Auckland District Court today.

Fiona Bakulich, who featured in Tipene Funerals’ reality television show The Casketeers, is charged with one count of misconduct in respect of human remains and nine of obtaining by deception in relation to 10 victims.

The alleged deception – revealed by an exclusive Herald investigation in March – was discovered when the bodies were disinterred after Cyclone Gabrielle damaged their above-ground mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland.

Lawyer Panama Le’Au’Anae entered not guilty pleas to all charges on Bakulich’s behalf today and the 48-year-old was bailed to return to court on February 28 for case review.

Police this week revealed the scale of their investigation into Bakulich, telling the Herald 10 bodies were involved.

They’d received nine complaints about alleged deception, said Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of the Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch.

Baldwin said police arrested a 48-year-old woman in Favona, South Auckland on October 22. Bakulich appeared in the Auckland District Court on October 25.

Police couldn’t rule out laying further charges and Baldwin encouraged anyone “with ongoing concerns” to contact them online or by phoning 105 and quoting file number 240808/8008.

Fiona Bakulich, a former Tipene Funerals undertaker based in Auckland, appears in the Auckland District Court on October 25. Photo / Michael Craig

Police began investigating fraud allegations against Bakulich after Tipene Funerals laid complaints in March and April this year. It remains unclear what complaints Tipene Funerals made against Bakulich, but police shelved that investigation because there was insufficient evidence.

In August, police began investigating new concerns about bodies at Waikumete Cemetery after an exclusive investigation by the Herald.

Families told the Herald they had solicited Bakulich’s services specifically because she was Samoan and they expected to be treated with the utmost cultural competency.

Families told the Herald they believed they had been swindled out of money by the undertaker.

Tipene Funerals director Francis Tipene has said the company encouraged anyone with concerns about Bakulich’s conduct to report it to police.

Fiona Bakulich (left) with Francis and Kaiora Tipene in a promotional image for the television show The Casketeers.

“Tipene Funerals has handed all information known to us to the police.”

He said his “former employee” worked for Tipene Funerals as a funeral director for seven years.

“And in doing so, a huge amount of trust was placed in her, both by Tipene Funerals, myself as director and the families she was taking care of,” Tipene said.

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

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