Dentist convicted of killing wife on African safari set to be sentenced to life in prison

DENVER — A rich dentist convicted of killing his spouse on the finish of an African safari in Zambia is predicted to be sentenced to life in jail Monday for a homicide prosecutors say capped off a lifetime “spent in search of domination and management over others by way of wealth and energy.”

On the listening to in a Denver federal courtroom, U.S. authorities prosecutors will even search to get an estimated $25 million in restitution, seized property and fines from Larry Rudolph. He was additionally discovered responsible in federal courtroom final 12 months for mail fraud for cashing in practically $5 million in insurance coverage insurance policies for his spouse, Bianca Rudolph.

Larry Rudolph has claimed all through the case that his spouse’s dying within the southern African nation in 2016 was an accident. His legal professionals plan to attraction the conviction.

Prosecutors say Rudolph, who owned a Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, shot his spouse of 34 years within the coronary heart with a shotgun on her final morning in Zambia, after which put the gun in its comfortable case to make it appear to be she had by accident shot herself whereas packing. The couple had been looking sport throughout their journey.

Additionally they declare the setting, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) from the closest police station, was the right place to attempt to get away with the crime, the place he rushed to have his spouse cremated and intimidated officers investigating her dying.

They allege the aim was to dwell a lavish retirement together with his longtime girlfriend, Lori Milliron, with the assistance of the insurance coverage cash. She was sentenced to 17 years in jail in June after being convicted of being an adjunct. She has filed an attraction.

“The homicide was the fruits of a lifetime spent in search of domination and management over others by way of wealth and energy,” prosecutors mentioned in a courtroom submitting outlining their sentencing proposal.

Larry Rudolph might additionally get extra time in jail for mail fraud along with paying an almost $10 million high quality, forfeiting thousands and thousands in property and paying the insurance coverage corporations again, in response to what the prosecutors are in search of.

It’s unclear if any members of the family or associates of Bianca Rudolph will confront the dentist throughout the listening to.

The couple’s two grownup youngsters, Julian and AnaBianca Rudolph, have to this point opted to not to talk a lot publicly concerning the dying, though AnaBianca testified towards Milliron at her sentencing. They’re preventing for a few of the monetary penalties the federal government needs their father to pay, asking the courtroom to deal with them, not the insurance coverage corporations, because the victims of the insurance coverage fraud. In a courtroom submitting, they are saying they’ve “suffered appreciable monetary hurt” and are entitled to restitution.

Investigators in Zambia and for the insurers concluded Bianca Rudolph’s dying was an accident. The insurance coverage corporations, some primarily based in Colorado, then needed to pay out the life insurance coverage due to her dying, in response to the protection in courtroom paperwork.

However Rudolph was arrested practically 5 years after her dying following an FBI investigation that despatched brokers touring around the globe to gather proof and interview witnesses.

A bartender at a steakhouse in Phoenix, the place Milliron moved to be with Rudolph after Bianca’s dying, mentioned he overheard Rudolph saying “I killed my f—g spouse for you!” throughout an argument they have been having in early 2020. Nonetheless, Brian Lovelace testified that he couldn’t hear the phrases proper earlier than that assertion as a result of music was taking part in. Rudolph testified that he really mentioned, “Now they’re saying I killed my f—g spouse for you!” after studying that the FBI was investigating him.

Prosecutors allege he constructed his wealth on fraud. They are saying he shot off his thumb throughout a earlier go to to Zambia to gather thousands and thousands in incapacity insurance coverage cash, and allege he additionally cheated his dental sufferers, creating the necessity for root canals by not doing fillings or drilling holes of their tooth whereas they have been asleep.

The high quality sought by the federal government is twice the quantity that Rudolph obtained for the life insurance coverage polices in addition to insurance coverage for the jewellery Bianca Rudolph was sporting when she was killed. Rudolph reported that the jewellery was misplaced though officers in Zambia mentioned they gave the objects to him. His legal professionals say the federal government didn’t cost Rudolph for that and by no means proved the allegation.

Prosecutors need Rudolph to pay $4.9 million in restitution to the insurance coverage corporations, forfeit $4.8 million from financial institution accounts, in addition to actual property in Arizona and Pennsylvania and two luxurious automobiles — an Aston Martin DB-11 and a Bentley Bentayga, in response to courtroom filings.

Rudolph’s legal professionals say the properties and vehicles are price thousands and thousands and that the mix of penalties totals over $25 million. They are saying he can not afford that since he now not controls his dwindling dental apply, has important money owed and can by no means be capable of earn more cash. Rudolph’s two grownup youngsters management his funds now, in response to the protection.

“The reality is that such a high quality would serve solely to punish and bankrupt the Rudolph youngsters, not Rudolph himself,” his legal professionals mentioned.

The federal government estimated that Rudolph is price $15 million, in response to the protection in a pre-sentencing report that’s not accessible to the general public, however a protection knowledgeable throughout the trial mentioned his price is now lower than $10 million.

Prosecutors argue Rudolph would nonetheless have thousands and thousands of {dollars} after paying restitution, the high quality and having the property seized. Earlier than he went on trial, they are saying Rudolph claimed to be price $27 million and argued that he didn’t want the life insurance coverage cash he obtained after his spouse died to display his innocence.

“The grownup youngsters will not be being punished, nor are they entitled to unjust enrichment from their father’s legal scheme,” prosecutors mentioned.