Her husband died shortly after their Pacific Palisades home was damaged by fire. Then the scammers came - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
by Salvador HernandezFebruary 17, 2026
Ellen Rudolph and her husband had to move out of their Pacific Palisades home while it was repaired after the 2025 fire. Her husband died a few months later of cancer and, as she tried to get her life together, scammers cleared out her bank account.
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Originally published on Los Angeles Times on 2/17/2026