• Tipene Funerals is distancing itself from a second arrest related to former employee Fiona Bakulich’s admitted offending.
• Bakulich pleaded guilty to mishandling bodies and scamming families of nearly $18,000 over seven years.
• Police are investigating further, urging other affected families to come forward in “Operation Lola”.

Owners of Tipene Funerals, an Auckland undertaking firm, are distancing themselves from a fresh arrest relating to one of their former employees scamming clients and mishandling bodies.

Police made a second arrest in the case on Friday, five months after the first arrest following an exclusive Herald investigation.

Francis and Kaiora Tipene on a video posted to Kairoa's Instagram page where the two co-owners of undertaking firm Tipene Funerals distance themselves from a new arrest in scam, body-mishandling case.

Kaiora Tipene, who co-owns the funeral company with husband Francis Tipene, posted a video of themselves on social media hours after the arrest.

“It’s not us, e te whānau,” she said.

“Just know, the Tipenes have only ever served in good faith,” she said.

The pair said their thoughts were with the families affected by Bakulich’s offending. They also said they were “still here, still going strong”.

The couple have been criticised by families affected by the scams, with one woman telling the Herald, “I still honestly believe Tipene have some responsibility”.

Fiona Bakulich, a former Tipene Funerals undertaker based in Auckland, appears in the Auckland District Court for her first appearance, five months later she pleaded guilty. Photo / Michael Craig

The woman at the centre of the scandal, ex-Tipene Funerals undertaker and Casketeers star Fiona Bakulich, pleaded guilty to 14 charges of mishandling human remains and obtaining by deception at the end of February.

• ‘Bloody thief’: Victims of former Tipene Funerals undertaker vindicated by guilty plea
• Former Caskeeters undertaker pleads guilty to interfering with human remains
• ‘Trust can be reinstalled’: Tipene Funerals director addresses 'bodies in bags' scandal
• Scale of Tipene Funerals undertaker's alleged misconduct revealed: More bodies involved
• Auckland funeral director appears in court for alleged misconduct with human body

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said the new arrest was of another Auckland-based funeral director. He has been charged with obtaining by deception.

And more charges against the man were possible, Baldwin said.

The accused will appear in the Auckland District Court on Thursday.

Case raises complex issues, police say: Families vindicated after Bakulich admits scams

Police have dubbed the case “Operation Lola” and were still interested in hearing from other families who may have been impacted.

Baldwin said investigators had been going through complex issues in the case.

Bakulich’s offending, which included wrapping a body in plastic instead of the coffin the grieving family paid for and scamming families of all 11 victims of almost $18,000, stretched seven years between 2017 and 2024.

Bodies were interred at the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery. Photo / Michael Craig

She was first found out in 2023 when Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the mausoleum in which some of the bodies were interred at Waikumete Cemetery. The bodies needed to be removed for repairs.

A family present for the disinterment process in June 2023 were confronted with their loved one wrapped in plastic, “treated like rubbish”, a grieving relative said.

Victims who spoke to the Herald after her court appearance said Bakulich’s guilty pleas were vindicating.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.