PARK CITY, Utah — Kouri Richins, who will go on trial next year for the murder of her husband, now faces over two dozen new charges that include mortgage fraud, forgery and money laundering.
The new charges below were filed Friday in a Summit County court:
- MORTGAGE FRAUD (5 charges)
- MONEY LAUNDERING (7)
- FORGERY (5)
- ISSUING A BAD CHECK (7)
- COMMUNICATIONS FRAUD (1)
- PATTERN OF UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY (1)
According to the charging documents, Richins used her power of attorney to take out a $250,000 Home Equity Line of Credit on the premarital home of her husband, Eric, without him knowing.
Richins allegedly formed her own LLC, K. Richins Realty, and used the money from the line of credit to fund the business.
When Eric Richins learned about the secret line of credit in October 2020, the charges claim Kouri replied that she would repay the loan. Despite Eric believing the line of credit had been paid off, it had not been when he was found dead in March 2022.
"In the five months prior to Eric Richins’ death, K. Richins Realty realized $170,000 in
revenue while its monthly debt service exceeded $250,000. It borrowed from over 25 lenders to support itself and service its debt obligations. Despite K. Richins Realty’s existing debt and insufficient revenue, the Defendant continued to use hard money loans to purchase three additional properties in November 2021," the charging documents read.
Richins is also accused of contracting to purchase an unfinished mansion in December 2021, using $2.9 million in high interest debt that was due in six months, "even though she lacked the financial ability to service the additional debt, refinance the debt, rehabilitate the property, or otherwise dispose of the property."
According to the charges, Richins was scheduled to close on the mansion on the day her husband died, only to delay the closing to the following day.
"On the day of Eric Richins’ death, K. Richins Realty owed hard money lenders at least $1.8 million and the day after Eric Richins’ death it owed them nearly $5 million," the documents claim.
Richins' murder trial is set for February 2026 after she was accused of killing Eric Richins with a lethal dose of fentanyl she allegedly slipped into a drink. Prosecutors have also alleged that Kouri made changes to her husband's life insurance policy before he died.
Richins' attorneys released the following statement:
"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 in light of the fact that the parties are trying to seat an impartial jury in Summit County."
