A Jamaican football coach has found himself in serious legal trouble after reportedly posing as a funeral director. The 53-year-old Richard Bryan from Kingston 20 is accused of using a funeral scam to swindle a grieving woman out of $500,000.
The accused was taken into custody following an investigation into complaints made by the victim. According to a local news report, citing the police, Bryan, who lives on Westmore Drive in Maverley, was a part of a scheme that went on for months.
The scheme reportedly began in January 2025 when the victim needed to bury her deceased son. According to reports, Bryan posed as a funeral director and told the woman he could handle funeral arrangements for her child. He also said he could conduct an autopsy.
Bryan allegedly took a $500,000 payment for the fake service and gave her a date for the burial. The victim was initially told that it would take place on Friday, May 9, but Bryan later pushed the date further to Sunday, May 25. It is unclear how the pair met, as this was not disclosed in the report.
However, things took a turn when the woman could not get in touch with him. After trying to reach Bryan several times without success, she reportedly grew suspicious and decided to report the matter to the police when she realised something was not quite right. The complaint led to an investigation and ultimately the arrest of Richard Bryan.
While in custody, the accused was questioned by detectives, which reportedly led to a confession from Bryan that he had taken the money. The Jamaica Observer cited a report from the police that said, during an interview, the suspect admitted to using the funds for personal expenses.
Bryan was later charged with fraudulent conversion, and he made his first appearance in court recently at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court. He was denied bail and is expected to return to court on Thursday, May 29.