A Massachusetts man hires an undercover federal agent to kill his wife without his knowledge
Authorities said a Massachusetts man who tried to hire a contract killer to kill his wife unknowingly asked an undercover federal agent to carry out the hit.
Massimo Marenghi, 56, now faces up to a decade behind bars after pleading guilty Thursday to murder-for-hire, the office of the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts said in a statement.
Officials said Malden’s man “complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him” during a January 2021 meeting with an undercover FBI agent in disguise as a contract.
Maringhi later met with the undercover agent and asked him to help “clear out” his problem as the pair discussed the $10,000 price tag, the feds said.
They said the husband provided the client with a picture of his wife’s home and explained in detail how to evade surveillance cameras while carrying out the crime.
During a second meeting, authorities said, Maringhi gave the federal agent a $1,500 cash deposit for the murder and urged him to carry out the killing soon.
The faster the “demolition assignment” happens, Maringhi told the agent, the faster the hired gun will be able to pay the rest of what it owes, the officials said.
While trying to stage the crime, authorities said, he provided the undercover agent with various details about his soon-to-be ex-wife.
He provided a photo of his wife, the feds said, the color, make, and license plate number on her car and the hours of operation at her business.
Maringhi also provided a timeline indicating when custody of his children would take place, which he said would be the “best time to start the construction work,” authorities said.
In addition to a sentence of up to 10 years, the murder-for-hire charge includes three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Maringhi is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8.
