Company director Francis Tipene has apologised to affected families and pledged full co-operation with any police investigations.
Tipene Funerals has hired a private investigator to look into the mounting allegations against its former funeral director Fiona Bakulich as police have reopened their case and are asking for more people to come forward.
The case has been taken up by police’s Criminal Investigation Branch.
Company director Francis Tipenesaid he is “pleased and relieved that police are looking further into the matter” and promised to “do everything in our power to assist them with their investigation”.
It follows an exclusive Herald investigation into claims Bakulich fleeced her grieving clients by putting their dead relatives in black plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they paid $3000 for. Affected families found out when Cyclone Gabrielle forced the bodies to be disinterred from the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland.
The revelations encouraged more people to come forward with claims Bakulich had swindled them while they were in mourning by convincing them to pay cash for a “post-mortem Covid test” and a council burial fee. The Ministry of Health confirmed dead people have never been required to be tested for Covid-19 and Auckland Council followed up with families for unpaid burial costs.
Yesterday, Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, of police’s Auckland City Financial Crime Unit, confirmed they had received two reports of fraud. However, Bolton said there was “insufficient evidence” to proceed with the complaints.
Former Tipene Funerals funeral director Fiona Bakulich.
The case has since been picked up by police’s Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch. Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said police were seeking more information about the “matters of concern” due to new information reported in recent days.
Baldwin said police were also conducting another review of the fraud allegations.
Baldwin said: “We are ... seeking additional information surrounding some matters of concern raised around burials at Waikumete Cemetery. In light of information reported in recent days, we are taking these steps so we can better understand what has occurred.
“As part of this, we will work to identify any relevant offences that require further investigation. Police are seeking to establish identities of families or other persons that may be implicated in this matter.”
Baldwin asked anyone with concerns about inappropriate or dishonest behaviour to call police on 105 and quote file number 240808/8008.
“Alongside this process, police will also be reviewing fraud allegations involving cash transactions that were reported to us in March and April,” he said.
“Given these inquiries are still in the preliminary phase, we are limited in further comment at this point in time.”
What we know so far: Bodies of prominent Auckland Samoans ‘treated like rubbish’
The bodies of several prominent Auckland Samoans were discovered to have been bagged by Bakulich, to the dismay of the families who solicited her services.
In mausoleums, each body is placed inside a vault. Disinterments involve removing each body from its vault and the families were present for this.
“When the families opened up the caskets, it was just a whole other level of grief. There was just wailing and screaming,” one affected relative told the Herald.
Bodies were interred at the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery, pictured here on August 1, 2024, but they were wrapped in plastic bags instead of the coffins grieving families had paid for. Photo / Michael Craig
“How could you do this to our loved ones? You just bagged them like a piece of rubbish.”
When Herald reporters visited Bakulich’s Māngere East home on Tuesday morning, the curtains were drawn and the letterbox was overflowing. Letters strewn on the ground were addressed to Bakulich.
Neighbours said Bakulich had lived in the home for two years, but they had not seen her for two months.
‘I am deeply sorry for the pain and sorrow this has caused’ - Tipene
Speaking about the new police investigation, Tipene said:“Tipene Funerals’ first and foremost concern has always been with the families affected by the actions of this former employee.”
A screenshot from Tipene Funerals' website in late May – Fiona Bakulich's image and details were removed soon after.
Responding to the first complaint about interments at the Waikumete Cemetery public mausoleum, Tipene said his company “deeply regrets the actions taken by its former employee”.
“We unreservedly apologise for the distress their actions have caused the families involved. I am deeply sorry for the pain and sorrow that this has caused those affected.”
Questioned about the latest fraud claims, Tipene said: “Tipene Funerals again apologised unreservedly, reimbursed the family and reported it to the police.
“Given the new information that has come to light, we have again raised these matters with the police and will do everything in our power to assist them with their investigation.”
Tipene has said the company was also encouraging anyone with concerns about Bakulich’s behaviour to report it to police.
“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.
The mausoleums at Waikumete Cemetery in west Auckland, showing the city in the background. Photo / Michael Craig
When he first learned Bakulich “had not followed proper procedure”, Tipene said his priority was to apologise to affected families “and do everything in my power to put this right”.
Tipene said: “Tipene Funerals prides itself on its professionalism and integrity, and our families need to have the utmost trust and confidence in our ability to ensure their loved ones are treated with dignity and respect.
“And in this instance, we have fallen short.”
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
