A California scientist’s son, whose father’s head was cryogenically preserved, faces fraud accusations from Alcor Life Extension Foundation, the company tasked with preserving the remains.
Laurence Pilgeram, a scientist and cryonics advocate, had contracted with Alcor for $120,000 to preserve his entire body at -196 degrees until future technology could potentially revive him.

Kurt Pilgeram was reportedly shocked when, in April 2015, one month after his father’s death, he received a package containing what was said to be his father’s ashes.

The remains included everything from the shoulders down, but notably absent was his father’s head, which was not listed among the contents.
‘They chopped his head off, burned his body, put it in a box and sent it to my house, Kurt told AZ Central. ‘I want people to know what’s going on,’
Initially, Kurt pursued legal action against Alcor, seeking $1 million in damages for extreme emotional distress.
However, the case has taken an unexpected turn as Alcor now countersues, alleging fraud by the son.

According to Alcor’s claims, Kurt, in an attempt to secure his father’s fortune, intentionally concealed documents detailing his father’s posthumous wishes and prevented the company from receiving a lump sum payment necessary for the freezing process.
The company has filed a 90-page document seeking to block the court from releasing the elder Pilgeram’s estate to his sons, including Kurt, which could result in him receiving just one dollar of inheritance.
“He not only signed up for his remains to be preserved by Alcor, but he also signed a codicil to his will that said that if family member challenged his wish to be cryo-preserved, they would be disinherited and only receive a dollar,” stated Diane Cafferata, Alcor’s legal representative, in comments to The Daily Beast.

According to the filing, Alcor maintains that Kurt Pilgeram “acted directly contrary” to his father’s wishes and therefore “is entitled to no more than a dollar.”
The company also claims it has sustained millions of dollars in damages defending itself against what it describes as a “frivolous and malicious lawsuit.”