Malden Man Gets 10 Years In Prison For Plot To Have Wife Killed

MALDEN, MA — A Malden man was sentenced Monday in federal court in Boston for attempting to hire a contract killer – who was actually an undercover federal agent – to murder his then-wife, according to U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.

Massimo Marenghi, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 16, 2023, Marenghi pleaded guilty to one count of murder-for-hire.

“Domestic violence is a truly haunting reality that is far too pervasive in our society. At its core, that is what the prosecution of Mr. Marenghi was all about," Levy said in a statement. "He was looking to engage in the most extreme form of domestic violence by plotting the murder of his wife. While the vast majority of domestic violence situations do not involve the federal criminal law, when this office has an opportunity to hold people accountable for this type of despicable conduct, we will spare no effort in prosecuting such offenders."

In January 2021, an individual reported to law enforcement that Marenghi had complained about his then-wife seeking a restraining order against him. Marenghi asked the individual for assistance in killing his wife, prosecutors say.

At the direction of federal agents, the individual introduced Marenghi to an undercover agent who posed as a contract killer. Later that month, Marenghi met with the undercover agent and sought help to “eliminate” his problem. Marenghi provided the undercover agent with a photograph of his then-wife’s residence and explained how to evade detection by cameras while approaching the residence.

On Jan. 29, 2021, Marenghi again met with the undercover agent and discussed moving forward with the killing of his wife, providing a $1,500 cash deposit for the murder.

According to prosecutors, Marenghi explained that the sooner the “demolition job” took place, the sooner he would be able to pay the balance owed. He also provided a photograph of his then-wife, the color, model and license plate number of her car, the hours of operation of her place of business and a schedule indicating when he would have custody of his children, which he said would be the “best time for the construction work to start.”

“Massimo Marenghi plotted to kill his wife and went to great lengths not to get caught. Thankfully, his plot was thwarted because the person he thought was a contract killer was in fact an undercover FBI Special Agent,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Marenghi’s conduct in this case was truly horrific, and today’s sentence is just. It is our hope the victim in this case can rest easier knowing that he will spend the next decade behind bars.”