In “Double Trouble” from Investigation Discovery‘s The Playboy Murders, we learn about Sandy Bentley’s life of intrigue and Bentley’s ex-boyfriend Mark Yagalla.
Who is Mark Yagalla?
Pennsylvania native Mark Yagalla made $1 million at 19. After dropping out of Penn’s Wharton School, he raised $50 million for his hedge funds on Wall Street. Yagalla became worth over $10 million each year during the 1990s dotcom bubble. His lavish lifestyle, which included dating porn stars, strippers, and models, turned his $50 million hedge fund into a reckless Ponzi scheme. He was arrested for embezzling $32 million and sentenced to five years in federal prison for securities fraud. He showered expensive gifts on his girlfriend Sandy Bentley, including cars, furs, houses, luxury holidays, designer clothes, and substantial amounts of diamond jewelry.
Was Mark Yagalla involved in Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson’s murders?
Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson were found dead in a burning SUV in the Hollywood Hills in 2002. Tardio started dating Sandy Bentley after Yagalla’s incarceration. Authorities suspect Tardio and Monson planned a disastrous scheme to sell Yagalla jewels. At first, Mark Yagalla was seen as the most likely suspect, but he wasn’t found guilty because he was in jail in Pensacola, Florida, at the time of the killings. Investigators struggled to solve the Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson case for years. A $75,000 reward for information on the double killing offered hope in 2011. A decade later, the murders remain unsolved.
Where is Mark Yagalla now?
Mark Yagalla, the Wall Street millionaire whose business dealings and friendship with Sandy Bentley were linked to the Playboy Murders story, changed his life after going to prison for his Ponzi scheme. It’s noteworthy that the government managed to recover $1.3 million from an auction of Yagalla’s assets. Yagalla wrote an open and honest book called “Wall Street Joyride — The Prodigy, The Playmate, and the Missing $50 Million” in 2022. In it, he talks about his past, his relationship with Sandy, and how sorry he is for hurting people. The mention of Yagalla’s apology to his victims in his book suggests a sense of remorse and reflection on his part. Author Mark Yagalla is living a normal life with his girlfriend and kids outside of Bangkok, Thailand, as of late 2022.
Playboy Cover Girls: Where are Bentley Twins Sandy and Mandy now?
