Kouri Richins, already accused of murdering her husband with fentanyl, now faces 26 financial fraud charges, revealing a web of mortgage fraud, forgery, and money laundering that may expose her deadly motive.
Key Takeaways
- Kouri Richins faces 26 new felony charges, including mortgage fraud, money laundering, forgery, and communications fraud, while already standing trial for allegedly poisoning her husband with fentanyl.
- She allegedly used the power of attorney to secure a $250,000 home equity line of credit on her husband’s premarital home without his knowledge to fund her failing real estate business.
- At the time of Eric Richins’ death, her business owed $1.8 million, ballooning to nearly $5 million the following day when she was scheduled to close on a mansion purchase.
- Eric Richins had discovered her financial deception and changed his life insurance beneficiary, eliminating Kouri’s expected financial windfall after his death.
- Her murder trial is set for February 2026, with defense attorneys claiming the new financial charges highlight weaknesses in the state’s murder case.
Financial Fraud Charges Expose Possible Murder Motive
Authorities have filed 26 new felony charges against Kouri Richins, the Utah woman already facing trial for allegedly poisoning her husband with fentanyl in March 2022. The extensive financial crimes include 5 counts of mortgage fraud, 7 counts of money laundering, 5 counts of forgery, 7 counts of issuing bad checks, communications fraud, and engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity. Prosecutors believe these financial crimes directly connect to the motive for Eric Richins’ murder, suggesting Kouri killed her husband to gain control of his assets after accumulating massive debt through her real estate ventures.
“This sudden push to file new fraud charges over two years later underscores the weakness of the State’s pending murder charges, since these fraud charges would not even come into play unless they fail to secure a conviction. The timing is also extremely troubling because the parties are trying to seat an impartial jury in Summit County,” said Richins’ attorneys
Secret Loans and Business Failure
Charging documents reveal a pattern of financial deception dating back years before Eric Richins’ death. According to prosecutors, Kouri Richins secretly obtained a $250,000 home equity line of credit on her husband’s premarital property without his knowledge by using a power of attorney. She then used these funds to establish K. Richins Realty, LLC, which quickly became a financial disaster despite her presenting a successful business facade. The company reportedly generated only $170,000 in revenue while accruing monthly debts exceeding $250,000 and borrowing from more than 25 different lenders.
“used a power of attorney to obtain a $250,000 home equity line of credit on Eric Richins’ premarital home without his knowledge. … (She) used the proceeds from the HELOC to initially fund K. Richins Realty and hard money loans to finance its ongoing operations.” – Charging documents.
Financial Crisis and Deadly Consequences
Court documents paint a picture of escalating financial desperation in the days leading up to Eric Richins’ death. Kouri had scheduled the closing of an unfinished mansion for the day after her husband died, despite lacking the financial means to manage the associated debt. On the day of Eric’s death, her business already owed $1.8 million, but that figure would balloon to nearly $5 million the following day with the mansion purchase. Prosecutors allege this financial pressure, combined with Eric’s discovery of her deception, created the motive for murder.
“was a source of tension between Kouri and Eric Richins. (She) Informed Eric Richins that she would repay the loan and led Eric Richins to believe that she had repaid it. The HELOC was not paid off on the day of Eric Richins’ death,” – the charges
Life Insurance Twist Reveals Planning
Adding another layer to the case, investigators discovered Kouri Richins mistakenly believed she would receive a substantial life insurance payout after her husband’s death. However, Eric Richins had changed his beneficiary designation after discovering his wife’s financial deception approximately a year before his death. This revelation suggests not only motive but also explains why Kouri might have felt desperate enough to allegedly poison her husband – she expected a financial windfall that would never materialize, leaving her deeply in debt with no clear path forward.
Murder Trial Looms Amid Mounting Charges
With her murder trial scheduled for February 2026, Kouri Richins’ legal situation continues to deteriorate as these financial charges add substantial evidence of motive. In a bizarre twist that has drawn national attention, Richins authored a children’s book about grief following her husband’s death, further complicating public perception of her case. Her defense team maintains that the timing of these new financial charges, coming more than two years after Eric’s death, demonstrates weakness in the state’s murder case rather than strength, particularly as the court attempts to seat an impartial jury.
“The weakness of the state’s pending murder charges,” Said Richins’ defense attorneys
