Malden Man Paid Undercover Agent To Kill His Wife: U.S. Attorney

MALDEN, MA — A Malden man was arrested after paying $1,500 to an undercover federal agent he believed to be a contract killer to kill his wife, according to federal prosecutors. Massimo Marenghi, 54, has been charged with murder-for-hire.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling's office said the operation began when someone told law enforcement Marenghi complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him. Marenghi asked the person to help kill his wife, according to a criminal complaint.

Federal agents intervened and had the person introduce Marenghi to an undercover agent posing as a contract killer. Marenghi met with the agent on Jan. 20 and asked he "eliminate" his problem, providing a picture of where she lives and explaining how to evade her cameras, Lelling's office said.

Marenghi on Friday gave a $1,500 deposit and said he'd pay the rest after the "demolition job" takes place, according to Lelling's office. Marenghi also provided the agent with a photo of his wife, when her work was open and a schedule indicating the “best time for the construction work to start," according to the complaint.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Malden Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.