A Queens con man left his father’s body unclaimed in a morgue for more than a year, while he pocketed his dad’s pension and Social Security payments, authorities said Monday.
Christopher Bunn, 49, who pleaded guilty in October to grand larceny, was sent to jail after a brief court appearance in Queens Monday where he failed to come up with more than $25,000 in restitution for the pension and Social Security money he scammed.
Authorities said Bunn collected pension payments totalling $7,542 and Social Security of $17,790 which were electronically deposited between February 2010 and April 2011.
Investigators from the state comptroller’s office said Bunn lived with his father, a widower, and withdrew the money from an account they shared.
James Bunn, who died Feb. 24, 2010, was collecting on his wife’s pension, which was not transferable upon his death.
Sources said the older Bunn was a retired NYPD sergeant, but it was unclear if his police pension was also involved.
The 77-year-old was pronounced dead in a car in a Lake Success parking lot of natural causes.
After Christopher gave Nassau County officials details about his father’s medical history, he never followed up, leaving his dad’s body unclaimed for more than a year, after which the Medical Examiner called investigators.
That callousness didn’t stop Christopher from paying tribute to his father on Facebook three days after the death.
“From the son comes the father and from the father the son,” Christopher posted. “Goodbye, Dad. I love you.”
His words even moved a friend who wrote, “I am very sorry for your loss Chris.”
“Thank you, old friend,” Christopher replied.
But he kept cashing the checks.
Christopher was also sentenced to time served for six months he spent in federal prison after his arrest, which was a parole violation on a 2004 wire fraud conviction.
He is scheduled to return to court Tuesday.