CBS2 Exclusive: Ex-Cemetery Worker In N.J. Talks About Charges Of Pocketing Cash

GARFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- One of two New Jersey women accused of stealing thousands of dollars from families who wanted to bury their loved ones spoke exclusively to CBS2's Dave Carlin Friday about the allegations.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office has charged 50-year-old Denise Dagostino and 42-year-old Kathy Barbier with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception.

"I'm not a career criminal, you know what I mean?" said Dagostino, of Garfield. "I've never been a criminal before."

The prosecutor's office launched an investigation after the pastor of St. Mary's Assumption Church raised concerns about the financial management of St. Mary's Cemetery in Saddle Brook.

Authorities say the cemetery's former employees took approximately $180,000 in a period of at least three years from customers who paid for cemetery plots and mausoleum crypts and used the cash for their personal use. They allegedly took the money from people who paid cash for burial plots.

Dagostino went from being the boss at St. Mary's Cemetery to being a criminal defendant in jail.

The former cemetery director was later released on bail and was home Friday as she told her story.

"Of course I feel bad, of course I apologize," Dagostino said. "If I could take it back, I would take everything back -- but I can't. It was a mistake."

D'Agostino was charged along with Barbier, her employee and friend.

Discounts that D'Agostino and Barbier allegedly offered for cash payments violate the Diocese of Paterson's policy that only checks or credit cards be used for payments for burial plot.

As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, there is even a sign on the cemetery office door that reads "no cash on premises at any time."

But prosecutors said the two pocketed at least $180,000 from the customers who paid cash.

"You know, we intended to pay it back," Dagostino said.

She said the money was needed for "children in school -- Catholic school. My husband was unemployed. He was in arrears in child support."

Church officials learned about the alleged scheme about a year ago, but needed hard evidence. To get it, a forensic accountant was brought in.

"He suspected that the revenue that was being derived from the parish cemetery, which is located in Saddle Brook -- that the revenue was not what it should be," Paterson Diocese Lawyer Kenneth Mullaney told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.

The thefts were uncovered, as well as something else, authorities said. A man was found to have been buried in the cemetery with the correct headstone, but in the wrong family plot.

Dagostino acknowledged that the botched burial did indeed happen.

"Someone was buried where they shouldn't be, but it was not – it was not my fault. It was not the fault of mine," she said.

Dagostino blamed that mix-up on a confused funeral home manager.

Allen Seaman's wife is buried at St. Mary's, and said he was glad that changes in management have taken place.

"I'm confident with the new regime that's here," said Seaman of Cape Coral, Florida.

And said Dagostino, "I feel bad for the families."

Dagostino will be back in court with Barbier on Nov. 17.

"I'm sure that when a plea deal is negotiated with these defendants that they will be ordered to make restitution, whether they're able to make restitution is another question," Mullaney told 1010 WINS.

Co-defendant Barbier declined to comment as she went into her house in Garfield Friday afternoon.

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