Suvechha Sarkar
Monica Olsen was a former model, an entrepreneur, and a loving mother of two daughters. However, her life changed when the murder-for-hire plot by her ex-husband, Dino Guglielmelli, to kill her came to light. What began as a fairy tale romance soon led to a series of fear and betrayal. CBS’s ’48 Hours: The Millionaire, the Model & the Hit Man’ takes a closer look at her life and how it turned into a battle to protect herself and her children. Over the years, she rebuilt her life, choosing resilience over fear. It also features interviews with her, her friend, Dino’s brothers, and the hitman himself.
Monica Olsen and Dino Guglielmelli’s Separation Spiraled When a Murder-For-Hire Plot Was Revealed
Monica Olsen was born in 1981 in a small town in Canada. However, her aspirations to become a model eventually led her to New York, where she made a name for herself in the industry. Shortly after, she moved on to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a profession in acting. In the summer of 2003 in Los Angeles, Monica crossed paths with Dino Guglielmelli. She was quickly attracted to his “farm boy” charm, and they began dating. After six months of meeting, Dino took her to Italy and proposed. They tied the knot just three months later. Over the years, they welcomed their two daughters, Vendela and Cienna, into the world. The family lived together in a mansion in Valencia, California. Monica decided to leave behind her career in modeling and acting to become a full-time mom.
According to Monica’s account, Dino always spoiled her with lavish trips during their marriage. However, she said things changed when she decided to begin working again. She sought help from him for her skincare line, Skin by Monica, but alleged he became heavily involved in her business. Monica stated, “There was a change in his personality.” She continued, “Everything was kind of under his control, and I was kept out of the loop.” As she tried to return to her modeling career, she claimed that Dino’s personality had changed more. She stated that it reached a point when she reportedly began recording him. By the end of 2011, Dino filed for divorce and refused to move out of the house. Monica claimed the separation turned messy when Dino allegedly confronted her when she returned home on January 16, 2012.
Before Monica could contact the authorities, Dino reportedly called them and alleged that she had scratched his face. She was arrested and received a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Dino reportedly got a restraining order against Monica and received full custody of their daughters. After 13 months of the incident, the charges against her were reportedly dropped since there was a lack of evidence. Ultimately, things took a turn when Dino’s business partner and friend, Richard Fuhrmann, came forward with shocking information. It was revealed that Dino was reportedly asking him for almost a year to kill Monica and even promised to pay him $80,000 for the same. He increased the pressure on Richard when the charges against Monica were dropped.
Monica Gained Full Custody of Her Daughters After Dino’s Conviction
Since Richard contacted the attorney, the case eventually went to the District Attorney’s office. To help the detectives, he agreed to speak to Dino while wearing a wire. On October 1, 2013, Richard recorded a tape where Dino reportedly stated that he wanted Monica dead. When asked if his daughters were going to be fine, he added, “They’re totally fine. All they need is their dad.” Richard asked him in the tape, “Are you sure you want her dead? When I get up out of this seat, it’s done, it’s over,” to which Dino replied, “Why wouldn’t I?” It turned out that Dino’s attorney had told him he needed to pay Monica alimony of $25,000 each month. According to Rick Fuhrmann’s testimony, Dino had reportedly wanted the death of Monica to look like a drug killing in Mexico.
Ultimately, Dino was arrested in October 2013 in his home and charged with attempted willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder and solicitation of murder. Although he initially pleaded not guilty, he later took a plea deal. He reportedly pleaded no contest to second-degree attempted murder. On June 18, 2014, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison. When Monica was asked about Dino’s release on parole, she stated, “I know that my husband’s very resourceful. He may have asked Rick, but he could have asked many other people, too. He had a lot more than $80,000 at his disposal to have me killed.” Following the sentencing, Monica reportedly moved forward with the divorce and received full custody of her daughters. Dino was released on parole in September 2019, and his parole officially ended on June 9, 2021.
Monica Has Drawn on Family and Healing to Move Forward
Monica Olsen has always been determined, and even in the face of unimaginable challenges, she refused to let tragedy dictate her life. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from Western University. She then gained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business from Loyola University Maryland. In 2005, Monica came up with the business idea of Skin by Monica, her eco-friendly, organic skin care line for babies, women, and men. She worked on the venture as the founder, CEO, and Marketing Director before moving on in 2012. In May of the same year, Monica began serving as the President of Blubird Productions. She worked in that role until March 2015.
In her modeling career, Monica succeeded in walking on several renowned runways. She even worked with well-known designers like Michael Kors, Thierry Mugler, BCBG Max Azria, and Helmut Lang. She also showcased her acting chops by starring in the 2002 movie, ‘The Hot Chick.’ Following her harrowing ordeal, she focused entirely on Vendela and Cienna. When asked about her thoughts on her children’s relationship with Dino, Monica said, “I know his intention is to reunite himself with the kids and … take those children away from me.” However, the doting mother refused to back down, expressing, “I intend on really making something of my experience and not shying away from what happened, because I think that if somebody can look at my life and what I’ve been through and learn from it, then I’ve done something right.”
According to court documents, Dino appealed the judgment on the family law matter after being released based on the claims that his rights were ignored several times during the decade-long process. Monica reportedly argued that he didn’t back up his claims with proper evidence, so his arguments were not viable. Ultimately, in October 2024, the Appellate court rejected Dino’s request for sanctions but ordered him to pay Monica’s legal costs for the appeal. As of writing, Monica Olsen reportedly goes by Monica Andreny. She has kept her private and professional life away from the public eye. It is understandable considering everything she endured in the past. However, we do hope she continues her journey with the same courage that once carried her through the darkest times.
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