German funeral worker accused of stealing gold teeth from hundreds of dead

By Erbil Basay

BERLIN (AA) - German prosecutors filed charges on Wednesday against a funeral home employee accused of stealing gold teeth and valuables from at least 250 deceased people, authorities said.

The suspect, who worked for the city of Freiburg's funeral services, faces charges of disturbing the peace of the dead in 250 cases, theft in 50 cases, and money laundering in 21 cases over more than a decade.

According to the indictment, the man removed dental gold from the bodies of people scheduled for cremation between 2013 and 2024. He allegedly carried out the thefts both during and outside his regular working hours. He is also accused of taking jewelry, watches and other personal items that families had asked to be buried or cremated with their loved ones.

His wife has been charged with aiding and abetting the offenses and with money laundering. Prosecutors allege she helped her husband by keeping watch to prevent interruptions during the thefts.

Meanwhile, a jeweler faces money laundering charges for allegedly purchasing most of the stolen items. Authorities said he at least accepted the possibility that the gold originated from illegal sources, turning the transactions into a steady source of profit.

In total, the suspect is accused of extracting and selling more than 8 kilograms (about 17.6 pounds) of dental gold valued at roughly 250,000 euros ($296,000) .