Man unknowingly hires undercover FBI agent to kill his wife
A man from Massachusetts attempted to hire a contract killer to end his spouse's life, but in a twist of events, the hired hitman turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.
In a statement released on March 16, the US Attorney’s Office stated that 56-year-old Massimo Marenghi admitted to one count of murder-for-hire. The incident came to the attention of the authorities back in early 2021 after an individual reported to them that Marenghi had asked them for assistance in taking the life of his spouse.
The move stemmed from his wife seeking a restraining order against him, but the reasons for it remain unclear.
Authorities gave instructions to the individual to introduce Marenghi to an undercover federal agent, who adopted the guise of a contract killer.
The man met with the agent days later and provided him with a photograph of where Marenghi's wife resided. He also gave the "hitman" some tips on how to avoid being detected by the surveillance cameras while they carried out the vile act.
The husband provided more details about his wife, such as her photograph, the color, model, and license plate number of her car, as well as her employment location and the hours she worked. He also gave the undercover agent a schedule indicating when he would have custody of his children, which he said would be the "best time for the construction work to start."
Marenghi paid the agent a cash deposit of $1,500 (P80,000) for the murder, saying that the sooner the "demolition job" happens, the sooner he would give the remaining balance.
He was then subsequently arrested and will be sentenced on June 8, facing a punishment of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 (P13.6 million).