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PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania's top legal advisor has filed a lawsuit against a headstone company for their operations that have impacted grieving families in the state.
According to Attorney General Michelle Henry's Office, the lawsuit was filed against Philadelphia-based All American Monuments, Inc. and its owner Nancy Jelassi.
The AG's lawsuit alleges Jelassi did not deliver monuments or issue refunds to customers who paid for headstones for their loved ones.
"Ms. Jelassi and her company took advantage of grieving Pennsylvanians, making tragic circumstances that much harder for families who were not able to provide proper burial services for their loved ones," Henry said. "As Attorney General, I am proud to be a champion for Pennsylvanians who are taken advantage of during their most vulnerable times."
Officials say All American Monuments, Inc.'s failure to fulfill services was devastating to experience, including for one customer who ordered two monuments after her parents died 12 days apart due to COVID-19.
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Another customer reported ordering a monument from the company, but her mother laid without a headstone for nearly three years. "This situation breaks my heart and harms my health," the woman told the Attorney General's Office. "I can't sleep because I could not finalize this grieving process and fulfill my obligation to my mother."
For years, paying consumers requested All American Monuments, Inc. and Jelassi deliver cemetery monuments, but they were ignored, officials say.
The AG's Office is urging any consumers who feel they were victimized by All American Monuments, Inc. to file a complaint with the OAG Bureau of Consumer Protection.