Malden Man Allegedly Attempted To Hire Contract Killer To Murder Wife
MALDEN (CBS) – A Malden man was arrested Friday and charged with trying to hire a contract killer to murder his wife. The person 54-year-old Massimo Marenghi allegedly attempted to hire was actually an undercover federal agent.
According to the U.S. Attorney, "an individual reported to law enforcement that Marenghi had complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him," and asked the individual for help killing his wife.
"At the direction of federal agents, the individual introduced Marenghi to an undercover agent who posed as a contract killer," the U.S. Attorney said.
The first time Marenghi met with the undercover agent, on January 20, he allegedly sought to "eliminate" his problem, provided a photograph of his wife's home, and explained how to avoid cameras there.
On Friday, he allegedly gave the undercover agent a cash deposit of $1,500 for the "demolition job", a photograph of his wife, information about where she worked, and a schedule indicating the "best time for the construction work to start."
Marenghi faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.