Brent Cassity

Brent Cassity
Born:	1968 St. Louis, Missouri
Charges:	Wire fraud, Money laundering, Conspiracy
Sentence:	5 years
Facility:	FCI Morgantown
Status:	Released

Brent Cassity (born 1968) is an American former funeral industry executive who was convicted in one of the largest fraud cases in the pre-need funeral industry's history. As an executive at National Prearranged Services (NPS) and its related companies, Cassity was involved in a scheme that defrauded tens of thousands of families who had prepaid for funeral services. He served five years in federal prison and has since become an advocate for criminal justice reform.

Early Life

Brent Cassity was born in 1968 in the St. Louis, Missouri area. He was born into a family that had built a significant business empire in the funeral and pre-need funeral services industry.

Family Business

The Cassity family's business interests included:

• National Prearranged Services, Inc. (NPS) - a pre-need funeral insurance company
• Lincoln Memorial Life Insurance Company
• Memorial Service Life Insurance Company
• Forever Enterprises - a holding company
• Various related entities in the death care industry

Brent and his brother Tyler Cassity worked in the family business alongside their father, J. Douglas Cassity.

Career at NPS

Pre-Need Funeral Industry

Pre-need funeral services allow individuals to plan and pay for their funerals in advance. Customers pay premiums, and the funds are supposed to be held in trust or insurance policies to cover funeral costs when the person dies.

Role at NPS

Brent Cassity served as an executive in the family's network of companies. His responsibilities included:

• Business operations management
• Sales and marketing
• Company expansion initiatives
• Industry relationships

Growth of NPS

Under the Cassity family's management, NPS grew to become:

• One of the largest pre-need funeral service companies in America
• Operating in multiple states
• Serving hundreds of thousands of customers
• Managing hundreds of millions in customer funds

The Fraud

The Scheme

Federal investigators discovered that the Cassity family companies were engaged in a massive fraud:

Misappropriation of Funds

• Customer premiums meant for funeral trusts were diverted for other purposes
• Insurance reserves were depleted
• Funds were used for personal expenses and other business ventures

Underfunding

• The insurance companies lacked sufficient reserves to pay claims
• When customers died, there often wasn't money to cover their pre-paid funerals
• The companies used new premiums to pay for current deaths (Ponzi-like structure)

Scale of the Fraud

• Affected approximately 97,000 customers
• Involved hundreds of millions of dollars
• Spanned multiple states
• Operated over many years

Collapse

The scheme unraveled when:

• State insurance regulators began investigating
• The companies couldn't meet their obligations
• NPS and related companies were placed in receivership
• The full scope of the fraud became apparent

Criminal Prosecution

Investigation

Federal investigators and state regulators uncovered the extent of the fraud through:

• Financial audits
• Document review
• Witness interviews
• Analysis of company records

Charges

Brent Cassity was charged with multiple federal offenses:

• Wire fraud
• Money laundering
• Conspiracy

His father, J. Douglas Cassity, and brother, Tyler Cassity, faced similar charges.

Guilty Plea

Brent Cassity pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges. In his plea, he acknowledged:

• Participating in the fraudulent scheme
• Knowing that customer funds were being misused
• His role in the family business operations

Sentencing

Brent Cassity was sentenced to:

• 5 years in federal prison
• Supervised release following incarceration
• Restitution to victims

Family Members

Other family members also faced consequences:

• J. Douglas Cassity (father) - Convicted, sentenced to prison
• Tyler Cassity (brother) - Pleaded guilty, sentenced to prison

Incarceration

FCI Morgantown

Brent Cassity served his sentence at FCI Morgantown, a minimum-security federal correctional institution in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Life in Prison

During his incarceration, Cassity:

• Reflected on his actions and their impact on victims
• Participated in prison programs
• Began thinking about how to use his experience to help others

Release

Cassity was released after serving his sentence.

Post-Release Activities

Advocacy Work

Following his release, Brent Cassity has become involved in:

• Criminal justice reform advocacy
• Speaking about white-collar crime and its consequences
• Sharing his story to educate others

Progressive Prison Ministries

Cassity has been associated with Progressive Prison Ministries and similar organizations that help:

• People facing prosecution
• Individuals preparing for incarceration
• Those re-entering society after prison

Public Speaking

Cassity has spoken about:

• The causes and consequences of white-collar crime
• Life in federal prison
• Lessons learned from his experience
• The importance of ethical business practices

Impact on Victims

Families Affected

The NPS fraud had devastating effects on families:

• Many had to pay for funerals they thought were already covered
• Some couldn't afford proper services for deceased loved ones
• Trust in the pre-need funeral industry was damaged

Recovery Efforts

State guaranty associations and receivers have worked to:

• Recover assets from the Cassity companies
• Honor claims where possible
• Provide some compensation to affected families
• However, many victims received only partial recovery

Industry Reform

The case led to:

• Increased regulatory oversight of pre-need funeral services
• Reforms in how customer funds are held and protected
• Greater scrutiny of funeral trust arrangements

Legacy and Significance

White-Collar Crime Example

The NPS case illustrates:

• How trust-based businesses can be exploited
• The impact of financial crimes on ordinary people
• The importance of regulatory oversight

Redemption Narrative

Cassity's post-release work represents:

• An attempt to make amends through service
• Using experience to help others avoid similar mistakes
• Contributing to criminal justice reform discussions

Ongoing Impact

The case continues to influence:

• How funeral services are regulated
• Consumer protection in the death care industry
• Discussions about white-collar crime sentencing

See Also

• FCI Morgantown
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines and Offense Enhancements
• Restitution, Fines, and Forfeiture
• Wire Fraud and Financial Crimes