A resident of Yegoryevsk, a town in the Moscow region, has been charged with conspiring to kill his ex-wife by offering 20,000 rubles ($650) to an undercover police officer, the Investigative Committee said Wednesday.
The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, decided to hire a hitman out of deep personal hatred for his former spouse caused by the divorce process and the prospect of separation from his child, investigators said.
His search for a hitman became known to the criminal police, who set up a sting operation with one of their officers posing as the potential killer.
During an initial meeting Monday, the suspect offered the undercover officer 20,000 rubles to kill his ex-wife, the Investigative Committee spokesperson Irina Gumennaya said.
The suspect paid the undercover police officer 3,000 rubles in advance and promised to pay the rest when the job was done.
On Tuesday, the police officer presented the disgruntled ex-husband with photos allegedly proving the death of his wife and was paid another 5,000 rubles, at which point he was taken into custody.
It was not clear when the suspect planned to pay the remaining 12,000 rubles.
A criminal case has been opened on charges of soliciting a contract murder, which may carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Investigators will ask the court to place the suspect under arrest for the duration of their inquiry.
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