In a shocking turn of events, the owners of a Colorado funeral home are now facing federal charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining over $880,000 in Covid-19 relief funds and misusing the money for personal expenses. Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado, have been accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.

The Hallfords are alleged to have used the pandemic relief loans, intended to support small businesses, for their own indulgences. The couple reportedly spent the funds on lavish expenditures such as trips, jewelry, a vehicle, entertainment, dining, tuition for their minor child, cryptocurrency, and cosmetic medical procedures. Shockingly, the indictment also reveals that the Hallfords used the funds to purchase items from Amazon.

The investigation into the Hallfords began after 190 sets of human remains were discovered improperly stored at their funeral home facility. The bodies were found without proper cremation or burial, as promised to grieving families. The discovery prompted state charges against the Hallfords for abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery. Their arraignments for these charges are scheduled for June 6.

To conceal their actions, the Hallfords took extreme measures, such as covering the windows and doors of the funeral home and preventing outsiders from entering the building. They also provided false statements to others regarding the foul odor emanating from the facility and the true nature of the activity occurring inside.

If convicted in the federal case, the Hallfords face maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Meanwhile, the funeral home building is slated for demolition, as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined it necessary to safely remove all residual medical and biological materials found within the premises. The EPA will oversee the cleanup process with the assistance of trained hazardous materials contractors.

The Hallfords' arraignment on the fraud charges is set for Thursday, as per court records. Their actions have not only betrayed the trust of grieving families but have also inflicted immense emotional distress on them. The court proceedings will be closely monitored to ensure justice is served for all those affected by this shocking case of alleged fraud and mishandling of human remains.