Two years after financier Brandon Miller died by suicide amid $33 million in debt, friends close to his widow, influencer Candice Miller, say their seemingly idyllic life was an illusion. Candice Miller was on holiday in Positano, Italy, with her daughters when her husband was found unconscious from carbon monoxide poisoning in the garage of their $15 million Hamptons home on June 30, 2024.
Brandon Miller, 43, was declared brain dead, and loved ones waited for Candice Miller to return from Italy before taking him off life support. A close family friend told Vanity Fair that Candice Miller, now 44, delayed her return by two days to wait for a private jet. "She wasn't used to commercial flying," the insider said. "People were like, 'Why the hell isn't she here?' It was unfair to keep Brandon on life support. He just needed to go."
The friend claimed Candice Miller could have flown from Naples, Italy, to the U.S. on a commercial flight on July 1, but instead traveled more than three hours to Rome to catch a private jet sent by a friend. She arrived in New York on July 2.
Shortly after her husband's death, Candice Miller issued a statement to The New York Times, calling him her "soul mate" and stating that the loss would forever impact their two daughters. However, she was soon confronted with the reality of her husband's financial situation. Brandon Miller had just $8,000 in the bank and had taken out a series of loans against the family's Hamptons home, leaving a total debt of more than $33.6 million.
The influencer told friends she had never paid attention to her husband's business dealings or finances. Brandon Miller left a note apologizing for his actions and lamenting a failed deal he had hoped would improve his financial standing. The family's Hamptons mansion was later sold for $15 million, the amount owed on the mortgage.
Candice Miller maintained that she was unaware of her husband's financial troubles, though reports emerged claiming she was informed of the rising debt before her trip to Italy. Brandon Miller reportedly reassured her that everything was under control and encouraged her to proceed with the vacation. However, she was reportedly mortified when her credit cards were declined while in Europe.
Brandon Miller had taken out life insurance policies worth $15 million, which were paid out after his death. Candice Miller also reportedly agreed to pay about $4 million to settle a lawsuit over a loan. In total, her husband had taken out an estimated $20 million in unsecured loans, according to The New York Times.
Candice Miller has since moved to a rented oceanfront condo in Miami and has auctioned off furniture and kitchenware online due to financial strain. Last year, she announced on Instagram her new career as a certified professional life coach, though she has not posted on the public profile since.
Brandon Miller's mother, Barbara, was diagnosed with cancer and died in December 2024, less than six months after her son. She and Brandon were buried next to each other, but Candice Miller did not attend their joint headstone unveiling in June of the previous year. A friend told The Daily Mail at the time that Candice Miller was in too much pain to attend, stating, "This whole ordeal is so painful to her that she's protecting her own mental health." A family member, however, expressed disappointment, telling The Daily Mail, "It was disappointing and disheartening that she didn't come to honor her former life partner, whatever her reasons were. He deserved better."