Murder-For-Hire Plot Foiled Between Former Business Associates: DA

MINEOLA, NY — A murder-for-hire plot was thwarted over the weekend, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.

Navdeep Singh, Dix Hills, 48, of Dix Hills, was arraigned on Sunday on charges of second-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal solicitation, prosecutors said.

Singh and the alleged victim had a long relationship in the construction industry, Donnelly said at Monday news conference.

"The pair had a falling out, roughly two years ago, after a dispute on a job site soured their relationship," she said. "Ever since, they've been locked in a years-long, multi-million dollar civil ligation suit."

Last month, Singh decided that his former business associate "had to go permanently," Donnelly said.

Between May 29 and June 7, when he was arrested, Singh allegedly conspired with a would-be hit man to "put a deranged plan into action," Donnelly said.

Singh wanted the former business partner kidnapped and then killed, she said.

The hit man was alleged promised $100,000 and 10 acres of land in India, Donnelly said.

Not only did Singh want his ex-colleague killed, "he wanted him dismembered. He told the hit man he wanted a picture of the man's head and another of his body," Donnelly said. "Singh wanted this man humiliated and afraid in the final moments of his life."

Police were alerted to the plot when the hit man came forward, she said.

“This was a very dangerous situation,” said Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “Thanks to the hard work of our District Attorney Squad working in partnership with DA Anne Donnelly and her tenacious prosecutors we prevented what would have been a tragedy: settling a business dispute with murder."

Bail was set at $1 million cash, a $2 million bond and $5 million partially secured bond. Singh was also ordered to surrender his passport, prosecutors said.

He's due back in court on Tuesday. If convicted, he faces of to 25 years in prison.