A man accidentally hired an undercover law-enforcement agent from the FBI to kill his wife, even going as far as beginning to sort out a whopping $10,000 cash deposit for the 'service'.
Massimo Marenghi from Massachusetts admitted to his murder-for-hire plot last week (16 March) and faces a potential ten years in prison for the crime.
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Marenghi pleaded guilty to murder for hire last week, according to a press release from the US Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts.
He had unknowingly hired an undercover federal agent to kill his wife while under the impression he was actually a contracted hitman.
Marenghi had reportedly 'raised the topic of killing his wife' with an informant who was later referred to in court filings as 'confidential source' or 'CS'.
A thread of text messages from 1 January 2021 between Marenghi and CS showed that the husband yet 'again raised the topic of killing his wife'.
According to officials, Marenghi had 'complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him' back in January 2021.
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The pair linked up for a second time which is when Marenghi asked the undercover agent to assist him and 'eliminate' his problem.
Officials explained that the two subsequently 'discussed a price' for the hit.
The official affidavit reads: "CS responded that if Marenghi was serious about having his wife killed, then the cost would be $10,000 in cash.
"Marenghi agreed and provided CS with photographs of his wife, information regarding his wife’s employment location and hours, her home address in Malden, a description of her vehicle, and her telephone number."
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Authorities revealed that Marenghi later handed over a $1,500 cash deposit for the murder during their second meeting.
Officials state that Marenghi was eager for the hit to take place soon, urging the undercover agent to get to work quickly.
The hit was later referred to as a 'demolition job'.
After that meeting, CS contacted local officers at the Northwood Police Department in New Hampshire who later got in touch with the FBI.
Federal agents then interviewed CS the following day who then agreed to assist in the investigation against Marenghi.
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Less than a few weeks later (13 January), CS gave Marenghi the contact information for an individual who Marenghi was led to believe 'could be hired to murder his wife but who, in reality, would be an undercover FBI agent,' the affidavit outlines.
Marenghi then reached out to the undercover agent posing as a hitman with the official affidavit detailing that meeting.
During the meeting, Marenghi described a 'situation' he needed 'taken care of'.
At the end of the conversation, when asked if he wanted his wife killed, he responded: "Um, I need- I need the problem eliminated."
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Alongside the various information that Marenghi provided the undercover agent of his wife, he also sent over a schedule that pointed to when he would have custody of their children.
These times were later described by Marenghi as the 'best time for the construction work to start'.
The man was later indicted the following month.
His sentencing is set for 8 June.
Rhiannon Ingle