‘We were devastated’; families defrauded in an animal cremation con speak out
By Graham Cawthon, Lydia Blackstone
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KINGSLAND, Georgia (WJCL) — A Kingsland couple accused of defrauding grieving pet owners through a crematory business has been arrested in Louisiana, according to police.
Nader and Amanda Rayan were taken into custody Saturday in Kenner, La., following a BOLO alert. Kingsland police said the arrests stem from an investigation into Compassionate Care Pet Crematory Services, where the couple allegedly mishandled animal remains and scammed families out of thousands of dollars.
Becky Morris of Hortense said she and her husband sent more than 25 pets from their farm to the crematory. When the remains were returned, she said the ashes did not appear authentic.
“There’s just stickers with names scribbled on it,” Morris said. “Some of them had Ziploc baggies. Three pets didn’t even return.”
Morris estimated her family lost about $10,000 to the crematory, in addition to the emotional toll.
Police said the investigation revealed the Rayans mistreated animals and exploited grieving families. This is not the couple’s first brush with the law: they were arrested in 2016 in Florida in connection with a funeral home fraud scheme.
The Kingsland Police Department, working with other agencies, executed a search warrant at the crematory on Aug. 26. Investigators said they discovered evidence of mishandled remains behind the business.
The Rayans face multiple fraud charges. Police called it “one of the most disturbing cases” they have handled.
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