Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago Activist and Impacted Families of South Shore Chapel “SPEAK OUT” at the FBI Chicago Field Out to File Formal Complaint and to Demand FBI to Launch Investigation into 50 Plus of Mishandling of Human Remains and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza

Press Conference
Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: FBI Chicago Field Office
2111 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL. 60608

CACFJ ADVOCACY TIMELINE ON SOUTH SHORE CHAPEL
Friday, August 28, 2026 — CACFJ and Impacted Families to Deliver Formal Complaint to FBI Chicago Field Office

On Friday, August 28, 2026, the Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice (CACFJ), alongside impacted families connected to the South Shore Chapel matter, will take its advocacy directly to the FBI Chicago Field Office. CACFJ and the families intend to deliver documents to Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen and file a formal complaint with the Bureau.

The objective of this action is to urge federal authorities to use every available investigative tool to examine what CACFJ describes as a gross failure of oversight, accountability, and public trust. CACFJ is calling for a thorough and transparent FBI-led investigation into the handling of this matter, including the conduct and oversight roles of Funeral Director Johanna Morgan and Clark Morgan of South Shore Chapel, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef for President 2028 stated:

“Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is putting on a show to present as if her office was on top of this situation. Comptroller Mendoza says her office is only responsible for the crematory, which is true. Even further, the Comptroller was very deliberate in her interview with Fox 32 Chicago to not mention that the Comptroller’s office communicates with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) on shared information between agencies. As a result, if the Comptroller’s Office and IDFPR communicate regularly, then this entire situation could have been resolved when the Chicago Heights Crematory was shut down. Personally, I find it hard to believe that Comptroller Mendoza was ‘CLUELESS’ about the immoral practices of mishandling bodies at the South Shore Chapel. The Comptroller’s office needs to be investigated.”

CACFJ also points to reporting from WBEZ regarding the relationship between IDFPR and the Illinois Office of the Comptroller. WBEZ reported:

“While IDFPR issues licenses and regulates funeral directors, and does not regulate funeral homes or crematoriums, the Department communicates regularly and promptly with the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, state and local law enforcement, and other local partners to address any form of known misconduct,” Treto said (Artmentrout, Iqbal, Spielman, & Puente, 2026).

Monday, August 10, 2026 — CACFJ Calls for Federal Investigation at South Shore Chapel Press Conference

On Monday, August 10, 2026, Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef of the Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice held a press conference with community members at South Shore Chapel, calling on the FBI to launch a federal investigation into the reported mishandling of more than 50 human remains.

CACFJ raised concerns about the funeral home operators and the public oversight systems that allowed the situation to continue despite prior allegations and regulatory concerns. CACFJ also noted that Bohemian National Cemetery had recently been inspected and reportedly found to have improperly stored bodies, with approximately 22 cases linked to Funeral Director Johanna Morgan and Clark Morgan.

WTTW News reported:

“On Monday, community activist Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef called on the FBI to launch a federal investigation into the funeral home’s operators and the oversight processes that allowed them to continue operating their funeral home after past allegations.

‘Families turn to funeral homes during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,’ he said at a news conference Monday. ‘And that trust must be protected’” (Masterson, 2026).

Media Contact

Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice (CACFJ)
Phone: 773-426-1655
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

References

Masterson, M., (2026, August 10). Activist Calls for FBI Investigation as Cook County Medical

Examiner Works to Identify Bodies Found at South Deering Funeral Home.
https://news.wttw.com/2026/08/10/activist-calls-fbi-investigation-cook-county-medical-examiner-works-identify-bodies.

Artmentrout, M., Iqbal, M., Speilman, F., Puente, M., (2026, August 11). Horrific discovery at South
Chicago Chapel raises questions about Illinois funeral home oversight.
https://www.wbez.org/politics/2026/08/11/south-chicago-chapel-funeral-home-oversight-illinois-decomposing-bodies.

08/17/2026

: The NAACP’s Office of General Counsel is joining the legal team focused on the death of Nolan Wells because truth, justice, and accountability cannot wait.

Nolan’s family deserves answers, and we will continue fighting to ensure that no Black life is ever overlooked, dismissed, or denied justice.

"Drawing on the Association’s long history of pushing for full and fair investigations when Black lives are lost under suspicious circumstances, we will bring additional investigative and legal resources to bear and ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest for truth and accountability for Nolan’s family.” — Kristen Clarke, NAACP General Counsel https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-office-general-counsel-joins-nolan-wells-family-legal-team

08/12/2026

Musicians Cate Le Bon and Pelican are among the acts scheduled for early fall concerts at the North Park graveyard.

08/12/2026

NOT SO FAST

A series of music concerts scheduled at Bohemian National Cemetery in August and September will go on as planned, in spite of a new investigation into the North Park property over the alleged mishandling of human remains.

08/12/2026

Chicago activists and community members are calling for the FBI to lead the investigation after more than 50 improperly stored bodies were discovered at a South Side funeral home.

08/11/2026

August 11, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago Activist “PUSH BACK” on Statements by Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, and IDFPR Following the Mishandling of More Than 50 Deceased Bodies at South Chicago Chapel.

On August 11, 2026, human rights activist Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef of the Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice (CACFJ) called a press conference with families and community members to address the disturbing discovery of more than 50 deceased bodies at South Chicago Chapel and to demand greater transparency from state officials and oversight agencies.

CACFJ is concerned that public statements from Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza have not fully addressed the scope of oversight failures raised by this incident. In a matter involving grieving families and the mishandling of human remains, public officials must provide clear facts, acknowledge unanswered questions, and explain what corrective action will follow.

ILLINOIS COMPTROLLER AND IDFPR COMMUNICATION RAISES OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS
IDFPR says, “While IDFPR issues licenses and regulates funeral directors, and does not regulate funeral homes or crematoriums, the Department communicates regularly and promptly with the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, state and local law enforcement, and other local partners to address any form of known misconduct,” Treto said, (2026, Artmentrout, M., Iqbal, M., Speilman, F., Puente, M.).

Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef said, “Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza acknowledged in a Fox Chicago 32 interview that her office received a tip regarding the crematory. However, CACFJ is in contact with a family that reports providing detailed concerns related to South Chicago Chapel, and those concerns were ignored by this office and deserve full public acknowledgment. Comptroller Mendoza emphasized that her office is responsible for licensing and auditing crematories, but the public also needs clarity on how information is shared with IDFPR when potential misconduct is reported. The Office of Comptroller and IDFPR routinely cross references all issues that present a public risk. In this instance, this is a complete failure in itself to act swiftly as it stands. Families deserve a transparent explanation of what was known, when it was known, and how agencies responded.”

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER SHOULD ADDRESS AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENFORCEMENT DECISIONS

ABC 7 Chicago reported that Governor JB Pritzker stated that state agencies acted quickly and appropriately after learning about the conditions at the South Side funeral home.
Governor Pritzker also said, “What does happen now is enforcement, right. And you’ve seen that it happened in a timely fashion. I’ve seen the TikTok on it and they did exactly within the time period that they should have done it,” (2026, Holmes).

Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef said, “Governor JB Pritzker’s statements do not fully address the accountability questions grieving families are asking. If the crematory was permanently closed by the Illinois Office of the Comptroller through a consent order in 2025, then the public deserves to know whether related operations, communications, inspections, or warnings should have triggered broader action. The appropriate action should have been to shut both locations down together and not allow the other location to continue. CACFJ calls for a clear timeline of agency communication between the Illinois Comptroller’s Office and IDFPR, an explanation of why enforcement decisions were made, and a transparent review of whether stronger action should have been taken earlier.”

Reference:

Holmes, E. (2026, August 11). Cook Co. medical examiner ID’s 11 of 56 bodies found at South Shore
Chicago funeral home. https://abc7chicago.com/post/cook-medical-examiner-ids-11-56-bodies-found-south-chicago-chapel-funeral-home-95th-street/19661427/

Artmentrout, M., Iqbal, M., Speilman, F., Puente, M., (2026, August 11). Horrific discovery at South
Chicago Chapel raises questions about Illinois funeral home oversight.
https://www.wbez.org/politics/2026/08/11/south-chicago-chapel-funeral-home-oversight-illinois-decomposing-bodies

Susana A. Mendoza, Illinois State Comptroller. (2025, June 19). Comptroller Mendoza permanently closes Heights Crematory through consent order.
https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/newsroom/press-releases/comptroller-mendoza-permanently-closes-heights-crematory-through-consent-order