Recording shows parents of alleged wife-killer Rod Covlin accusing him of stealing from children

UBS executive Shele Danishefsky (pictured) was in the midst of divorcing her much younger husband Rod Covlin when she was killed on New Year's Eve in 2009

UBS executive Shele Danishefsky (pictured) was in the midst of divorcing her much younger husband Rod Covlin when she was killed on New Year's Eve in 2009

The parents of backgammon pro Rod Covlin, on trial for murdering his millionaire financier wife Shele Danishefsky, accused him of stealing from his children, a jury heard in a secret recording Covlin's then-girlfriend had made.

Prosecutors in the nine-week-long Manhattan Supreme Court case have released the explosive tape as the case wraps up this week.

Danishefky's body was found in the bathtub of her Upper West Side home on December 31, 2009. 

Covlin is accused of strangling Danishefsky, 47, and staging the scene to look as though she slipped in the tub, struck her head and drowned in the bathwater.

Prosecutors at Manhattan Supreme Court claim Covlin, now 45, murdered Shele to get hold of her $5.4 million fortune and also took money away from their children.

Following Danishefsky's death, Covlin and children Anna and Myles moved into the home of his parents David and  Carol in Scarsdale, New York.

David and Carol Covlin (above) were heard by jurors in their son Rod's murder trial evicting him from their home and accusing him of being a deadbeat who stole from his children

David and Carol Covlin (above) were heard by jurors in their son Rod's murder trial evicting him from their home and accusing him of being a deadbeat who stole from his children


He also lived there with his new girlfriend Debra Oles Campbell and asked her to secretly record an explosive argument he had with his parents on September 28, 2012.

Prosecutors at Manhattan Supreme Court claim 45-year-old Rod Covlin, pictured on Monday, murdered Shele to get hold of her $5.4 million fortune

Prosecutors at Manhattan Supreme Court claim 45-year-old Rod Covlin, pictured on Monday, murdered Shele to get hold of her $5.4 million fortune

David is heard accusing his son of stealing from Anna and Myles and being 'a deadbeat'.

Covlin is heard warning his parents if they continue to claim he stole money he will make sure they never see their grandchildren.

At that point, Carol tells Covlin they are evicting him and give him three days, until October 1, to leave.

David also reveals spending a million dollars to allow Covlin custody of his children. 

David: 'You steal from your children. You stole before.'

Carol: 'You're stealing their college money.'

David: 'They won't be able to go to college by the time you're done with them.'

David: 'Why don't you tell [daughter] Anna that every penny you're spending right now is her money and [son] Myles's money.'

Carol: 'That Shele worked her ass off.'

Covlin: 'Hold on a second. Anna, I'd like you to come here. Hold on a second. Come here, please.

Covlin asked then-girlfriend Debra Oles Campbell (pictured above) to record his argument with his parents and his attempt to get into their home days after he was evicted

Covlin asked then-girlfriend Debra Oles Campbell (pictured above) to record his argument with his parents and his attempt to get into their home days after he was evicted

Carol: 'Five years in the twelve years of your marriage you never worked.'

Carol [to Anna]: Your mother worked her ass off for every penny that he's spending. Let me tell you, the Danishefskys are not wrong.

'They may be wrong about some things, not the money. Your mother worked and worked and worked and your father sat on his ass like he's doing now, he refuses to get a job.'

David [to Anna]: 'He refuses to get a job. He's spending your money. He's spending your money.'

Covlin: 'What you're saying now, in front of Anna and Myles, okay, will ensure you never see my children again, if you continue. Okay?

Rod Covlin discovers his parents have changed the locks to their home in Scarsdale, New York Rod Covlin discovers his parents have changed the alarm code to their home in Scarsdale, New York

In a recording released by prosecutors in Rod Covlin's murder trial, Covlin discovers his parents have changed the lock and alarm code to their home in Scarsdale, New York

David: 'You threatened us with the children?'

Covlin: 'No. I'm not threatening you. I'm telling you.'

Carol: 'We want you out of the house by October 1st.'

Covlin: 'Okay, evict me.'

David [to Anna]: 'You know what, Anna? I've spent a million dollars of my money to make sure you didn't go to the Danishefskys.'

Covlin: 'No. you spent a million dollars of Bonny's money.'

David: 'I owe them money. I owe them money. I'm going to pay the money. You're never going to pay me back.'

Carol: 'I'm not a deadbeat.'

David: 'You're going to steal from me.'

Carol: 'Because you're a deadbeat.'

David: 'You're going to steal from me like you steal from your children.'

The recording was handed over to police by Oles Campbell when they began investigating Covlin for murder.

She also recorded Covlin trying to gain entry to the Scarsdale house on October 3. It shows how his parents have changed the house lock and alarm code.

The jury also heard a short expletive-riddled recording of Covlin admitting to dipping into his children's college fund.

Covlin said: 'I mean, I had to take money out of the *******, like college ****, so we could go away on weekend and escape from my parents.'
 

Shele was initially buried without an autopsy at the insistence of her Orthodox Jewish family.

Her body was exhumed months later and a post mortem examination revealed a broken hypoid bone, a hallmark of strangulation.

Covlin faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted. 

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