Children’s author Kouri Richins, known for writing a notable book on coping with grief, now faces over two dozen fresh charges related to financial schemes connected to her husband’s death.
Summit County prosecutors revealed on Friday that the 33-year-old Richins allegedly secured large high-interest loans, forged documents, and moved funds through shell companies in the months preceding her husband Eric Richins’s 2022 poisoning death.
They allege that investigators discovered the mother of three used a power of attorney to secure a $250,000 home equity line of credit on Eric’s premarital property without his knowledge.
She is then suspected of funneling that money into her real estate business, K. Richins Realty.
Eric learned about the secret line of credit in October 2020, which prosecutors allege was a “source of tension” between the couple.
After the discovery, Eric met with a divorce lawyer and an estate planning lawyer to protect himself and his children from any abuse and misuse of his finances.
However, the mom-of-three assured him that she would repay the loan, but it had not been repaid by the time of his death.
“The Defendant 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 filing states.
The charging documents also allege that Richins borrowed millions more through hard money loans as her business was already defaulting on existing debts and burning through cash.
“By that day, she had already defaulted on one loan and was delinquent on several others. She continued efforts to borrow from new high-interest lenders to meet her existing obligations,” court documents state.
“By the end of 2021, the Defendant stood on the precipice of total financial collapse.”
Prosecutors said in December 2021, Richins was so deep in debt that she agreed to buy an unfinished $2.9 million mansion and was scheduled to close on the property on March 4, 2022, the day of Eric’s death.
“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 filing states.
Before his death, Eric had also cut his wife out of his will and changed his life insurance policy as he sought a divorce.
Richins allegedly attempted to name herself the beneficiary of the policy but was caught, and Eric reversed the move, reinstating his sister to the plan.
Both sides of the family have spent the past several months in court battling over Eric Richins’ $3.6 million estate.
Prosecutors also said Richins stole about $134,000 from her husband’s business, withdrew $100,000 from his bank accounts, and spent more than $30,000 with his credit cards.
The alleged murderer was charged with seven counts of money laundering, five counts of mortgage fraud, one count of communications fraud, and one count of engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity — all second-degree felonies.
She is also facing an additional five counts of forgery and seven counts of issuing a bad check, which are third-degree felonies.
“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,” her defense attorneys, Kathy Nester and Wendy Lewis, said of the new charges, according to Court TV.
“The timing is also extremely troubling in light of the fact that the parties are trying to seat an impartial jury in Summit County.”
Richins was charged with Eric’s murder in May 2022 after she allegedly poisoned him with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule at their home on Willow Court in Kamas.
Her case gained attention around the nation after it was revealed she had self-published a kids’ book titled “Are You with Me?” about a father who passed away and looked down on his sons as an angel and promoted it on TV and radio shows.
Richins’ murder trial is slated to begin jury selection in February 2026.
Prosecutors stated that the looming financial charges may be dealt with in a separate legal proceeding.
