In a Denver federal court on Monday, Larry Rudolph, a wealthy dentist, was sentenced to life in prison and slapped with over $15 million in penalties for the 2016 murder of his wife, Bianca Rudolph, and subsequent mail fraud. The case revolved around Rudolph’s attempt to cash in nearly $5 million in insurance policies taken out on his wife, with the alleged intention of funding a lavish retirement with his longtime girlfriend.
Throughout the trial, Rudolph maintained that his wife’s death in Zambia, during an African safari, was an accidental incident. His legal team intends to appeal the conviction.
U.S. government prosecutors sought an estimated $25 million in restitution, seized assets, and fines from Rudolph. Last year, he was found guilty of mail fraud for cashing in the insurance policies. Federal sentencing rules mandated a life sentence, but the hearing primarily focused on the financial penalties, delving into intricate financial transactions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Fields argued that a hefty fine, nearly $10 million, was necessary to prevent Rudolph from seeking revenge while incarcerated, either through frivolous lawsuits or hiring individuals to harm others. Fields stated, “That is his power, that is his control,” alluding to Rudolph’s substantial wealth.
Rudolph’s lawyers contested this substantial fine, asserting that it would deny his two adult children, Julian and Ana Bianca Rudolph, their rightful inheritance from their late mother’s estate.
Prosecutors alleged that Rudolph, who owned a dental franchise in Pittsburgh, shot his wife with a shotgun on the last morning of their trip, then staged the scene to look like an accidental self-inflicted gunshot. They claimed that the remote location, far from the nearest police station, was chosen to evade detection. Rudolph expedited his wife’s cremation and allegedly intimidated officials investigating her death.
The prosecution argued that Rudolph’s motive was to fund a luxurious retirement with his girlfriend, Lori Milliron, using the insurance money. Milliron was previously sentenced to 17 years in prison as an accessory and has filed an appeal.
Prosecutors contended that the murder represented the culmination of Rudolph’s lifelong pursuit of control and dominance through wealth and power.
Apart from his life sentence, Rudolph may face additional prison time for mail fraud. The government also seeks to seize millions in assets and require him to reimburse the insurance companies.
The reaction of Bianca Rudolph’s family and friends during the hearing remained uncertain. The couple’s adult children have mainly refrained from public statements about their mother’s death, although Ana Bianca Rudolph testified against Milliron during her sentencing. They are advocating for the financial penalties to benefit them rather than the insurance companies, citing significant financial harm and seeking restitution.
While investigators in Zambia and the insurers initially deemed Bianca Rudolph’s death an accident, Larry Rudolph was arrested nearly five years later following an FBI investigation that spanned the globe to gather evidence and witness statements.
Prosecutors claimed that Rudolph amassed his wealth through fraud, alleging that he even injured himself on a previous trip to Zambia to claim millions in disability insurance. They further asserted that he defrauded dental patients by performing unnecessary root canals.
The government’s requested fine, double the amount Rudolph received from life insurance policies and jewelry insurance, is under dispute. Prosecutors also aim to force Rudolph to pay $4.9 million in restitution to the insurance companies, forfeit $4.8 million from bank accounts, as well as real estate and luxury vehicles, including an Aston Martin DB-11 and a Bentley Bentayga.
Rudolph’s legal team countered that the combined penalties would exceed $25 million and argued that he lacks the means to pay, was no longer controlling his dental practice, and was burdened with substantial debts. Rudolph’s two adult children have assumed control of his finances.
Prosecutors countered that Rudolph would still possess millions of dollars even after paying restitution, the fine, and losing his assets. They noted that he previously claimed to be worth $27 million and argued that the insurance money was unnecessary to prove his innocence. Prosecutors asserted that the adult children should not benefit from their father’s criminal actions and that their demands for financial gain were unjust.