MIAMI.- Federal authorities on Wednesday revealed a chilling plot to allegedly murder the wife of prominent developer Sergio Pino, who committed suicide in his oceanfront mansion in Coral Gables before being arrested as a suspect in the case.
Pino, who was about to be charged with soliciting multiple murder attempts against his wife in the context of a multi-million dollar divorce, took his own life in his bedroom on Tuesday, leaving behind a trail of intrigue and a legal battle over a multi-million dollar divorce.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutor Markenzy Lapointe said that Pino had hired two groups of hitmen to kill Tatiana, his wife, who had filed for divorce in April 2022.
Nine individuals, including the alleged hitmen, have been arrested and face serious charges. A man identified as Fausto Villar, a convicted felon and former Pino employee, is among those charged in the case.
Another person involved is Bayron Bennent, an assistant on a yacht owned by Pino, who is accused of allegedly obtaining fentanyl that Pino allegedly used to try to poison his wife, among other accusations.
The investigations
The investigation revealed a series of failed attempts, including an alleged fentanyl poisoning, stalking and a flatbed truck attack on the woman.
According to the investigation, the climax came in June 2024 when a group of hitmen, allegedly hired by Pino, followed the wife to her home, where one of them tried to shoot her without success.
The investigation, which involved the FBI and local police, uncovered that Pino had agreed to pay an exorbitant sum, $300,000 in two installments, for the murder of his wife.
Authorities said evidence was found that some of the money was transferred, although they did not reveal details about the amounts, senders or recipients.
“He decided he was going to kill his wife,” Lapointe said, adding that the plan was carried out over more than two years. The prosecutor said Pino was seeking to eliminate his wife before the divorce became final, in order to keep his fortune.
Authorities said they are continuing to investigate the case to clarify all the details and bring those responsible to justice.