Millionaire Denver dentist is sentenced to jail for life, fined $15M for shooting his wife dead seven years ago while on a big game hunting trip in Zambia

Lawrence ‘Larry’ Rudolph, 67, was convicted for fatally shooting his wife Bianca Rudolph, 57, on the last day of their Zambia safari in October 2016

Prosecutors alleged Rudolph killed his wife of 34 years and mother of their two adult children to be with his mistress of nearly two decades, Lori Milliron 

Rudolph was convicted in August 2022, in the death of Bianca Rudolph as well as for mail fraud 

His girlfriend Lori Milliron, 65, is facing 17 years in prison after being sentenced in June for encouraging the murder 

Wealthy Pittsburgh dentist Larry Rudolph [photo], who was convicted of killing his wife while on a safari in Zambia so he could collect millions in life insurance was sentenced to life in prison in a Denver federal court on Monday for murder and ordered to pay a fine of $15million

A wealthy dentist convicted of killing his wife while on a safari in Zambia so he could collect millions in life insurance has been sentenced to life in prison for murder and fined $15million.
Lawrence ‘Larry’ Rudolph, who prosecutors say had a lifetime ‘spent seeking domination and control over others through wealth and power’, fatally shot his wife Bianca Rudolph in October 2016.
The 57-year-old wife and mother of two adult children was shot in the heart by her husband while the couple were away on a hunting trip in the African savannah.
Rudolph claimed was in the bathroom of the hunting lodge in Zambia when his wife accidentally shot herself – in the heart – while handling an unfamiliar Browning hunting rifle they brought along. She was packing for their trip back home from the Safari. 

Prosecutors said big game hunter Larry Rudolph, [right], had a lifetime ‘spent seeking domination and control over others through wealth and power’, fatally shot his wife Bianca Rudolph [center], in October 2016

Rudolph has claimed throughout the case that his wife’s death in the southern African nation in 2016 was an accident. His lawyers plan to appeal the conviction.
After shooting his wife, Rudolph, who owned a Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, put the gun in its soft case to make it look like she had accidentally shot herself while packing. 
The location of the murder, about 80 miles from the nearest police station, was the perfect place to try to get away with the crime, , prosecutors alleged, where he rushed to have his wife cremated and intimidated officials investigating her death.

Rudolph has claimed throughout the case that death of his wife Bianca Rudolph [photo], was an accident. After her death the widower cashed in nearly $5 million in insurance policy for his wife. He was convicted in May for murder as well as for mail fraud

He cashed in nearly $5 million in insurance policies for his wife, as prosecutors say he wanted to live a lavish retirement with his longtime girlfriend using the money. 
‘We still believe strongly in Larry´s innocence. We are looking forward to vindicating him on appeal,’ said Rudolph’s lawyers, David Oscar Markus and Margot Moss. 
Rudolph has maintained that Bianca’s death was a self-inflicted accident. However, in August 2022, he was convicted for murder as well as for mail fraud.
He was sentenced to life in prison on Monday in a Denver federal court. The goal was to live a lavish retirement with his longtime mistress, Lori Milliron, with the help of the insurance money.
Rudolph’s mistress of 20 years, Lori Milliron, 65, is serving 17 years in prison.
She was convicted as an accessory and sentenced in June for encouraging the murder.

Rudolph’s long-term mistress Lori Milliron [photo], 65, is serving 17 years in prison after being sentenced in June for encouraging the murder. Prosecutors said the pair planned to use the nearly $5 million in insurance policies for Bianca Rudolph his wife, to live a lavish retirement

Rudolph [photo], claimed he was in the bathroom of their hunting lodge when Bianca accidentally shot herself in the heart while loading a powerful unfamiliar hunting rifle, they brought along, as she was packing to head back home from the safari. Prosecutors alleged he murdered his wife of 34 years to be with girlfriend, Milliron

Milliron was sentenced to 17 years in prison in June after being convicted of being an accessory. She has since filed an appeal.
At her sentencing hearing, Milliron told the Judge that she was innocent of the crimes, but the judge proclaimed that the lengthy sentence was deserved based on the evidence that Milliron encouraged the heinous act.
She had been in a relationship with Rudolph for the greater part of his marriage and allegedly, had been aggressively pushing for the end of the marriage.
Prosecutors in a court filing outlining their sentencing proposal for Larry Rudolph said: ‘The murder was the culmination of a lifetime spent seeking domination and control over others through wealth and power,’
Rudolph’s adult children are fighting for some of the financial penalties the government wants their father to pay, asking the court to treat them, not the insurance companies, as the victims of the insurance fraud. In a court filing, they say they have ‘suffered considerable financial harm’ and are entitled to restitution.
Investigators in Zambia and for the insurers concluded Bianca Rudolph’s death was an accident. The insurance companies, some based in Colorado, then had to pay out the life insurance because of her death, according to the defense in court documents.

The couples’ adult son, [left], and his sister, [back right], head into federal court for the afternoon session of the trial of their dad Larry Rudolph, in July 2022. Ana Rudolph told Milliron at sentencing that she had ‘plotted to eliminate’ their mother.  

Rudolph was arrested nearly five years after the shooting following an FBI investigation that dispatched agents around the world, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.
A bartender at a steakhouse in Phoenix, where Milliron moved to be with Rudolph after Bianca´s death, reported overhearing Rudolph tell Milliron ‘I killed my f*****g wife for you!’ during an argument they were having in early 2020. 
Rudolph in court testified that he actually said ‘now they’re saying I killed my f*****g wife for you!’ after learning that the FBI was investigating him.
Prosecutors allege The defendant built his wealth on fraud. They say he shot off his thumb during a previous visit to Zambia to collect millions in disability insurance money, and allege he also cheated his dental patients, creating the need for root canals by not doing fillings or drilling holes in their teeth while they were asleep.

Larry Rudolph is a known big game hunter who made his fortune from his dental practice in Pittsburgh, PA

The fine sought by the government is twice the amount that Rudolph received for the life insurance polices as well as insurance for the jewelry Bianca Rudolph was wearing when she was killed. 
Rudolph reported the jewelry was lost, while officials in Zambia said the items were returned to him.
Prosecutors want the convict to pay $4.9 million in restitution to the insurance companies.
In addition, he is to forfeit $4.8 million from bank accounts, as well as real estate in Arizona and Pennsylvania and two luxury vehicles – an Aston Martin DB-11 and a Bentley Bentayga, according to court filings.
Defense team argue that the estimated value of Rudolph’ real estate holdings and automobile collection in combination of penalties totals over $25 million, well above the fine.
Furthermore the attorneys said, their client cannot afford the fine since he no longer controls his dwindling dental practice, has significant debts and will never be able to earn more money. Rudolph’s two adult children control his finances now, according to the defense.
‘The truth is that such a fine would serve only to punish and bankrupt the Rudolph children, not Rudolph himself,’ his lawyers said.
The government estimated that Rudolph is worth $15 million, according to the defense in a pre-sentencing report that is not available to the public, but a defense expert during the trial estimated the defendant’s current worth to be less than $10 million.
Prosecutors countered that Rudolph would still have millions of dollars after paying restitution, the fine and having the property seized.
They pointed to the pre-trial claim by Rudolph to demonstrate his innocence, that he was worth $27 million and did not need the life insurance millions he collected from his wife’s policy. ‘The adult children are not being punished, nor are they entitled to unjust enrichment from their father´s criminal scheme,’ prosecutors said.