Malden Man Paid Agent $1,500 To Kill Wife: Feds

MALDEN, MA — A Malden man was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday in connection with a plot to hire a contract killer to murder his wife.

Massimo Marenghi, 54, faces one count of murder-for-hire, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Federal authorities said Marenghi had complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him and asked a person for help killing her. That person reported Marenghi to law enforcement and introduced him to an undercover agent posing as a contract killer, the USAO said.

On Jan. 20, Marenghi met with the agent and sought help to "eliminate his problem," authorities said. He gave the agent a picture of his wife's home and explained how to evade detection by cameras while approaching the residence, the USAO said.

Marenghi met with the agent nine days later and provided a deposit of $1,500, explaining that the sooner the "demolition job" took place, the sooner he would be able to pay the full amount, federal authorities said.

Marenghi brought a picture of his wife, her work hours and a schedule indicating he would have custody of his children, which he said would be the "best time for construction work to start," the USAO said.

Marenghi was ordered held pending trial. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.