NEW YORK, NY — Reshma Massarone, a former bank manager from New York, was sentenced on Tuesday to 114 months in federal prison for orchestrating a plot to hire a hitman to murder her brother-in-law. Massarone had previously pled guilty to murder-for-hire charges, and the sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York announced the sentence, stating, “The defendant devised a chilling plan to have a member of her own family murdered for the low price of ten thousand dollars. Her plan was unthinkably heartless. For this depraved crime, Reshma Massarone will spend 114 months in federal prison.”
According to court documents and statements made during public proceedings, Massarone’s plot unfolded between July 20, 2023, and August 16, 2023. During this time, Massarone conspired with an individual identified as “Individual-1” to hire a hitman to kill her brother-in-law in exchange for $10,000. Unbeknownst to Massarone, Individual-1 was actually a member of a foreign police force and was working undercover to gather evidence against her.
Massarone communicated with Individual-1 through numerous social media messages and phone calls, urging him to carry out the murder or find someone who would. For example, when Individual-1 informed her that the plan was set for the next day, Massarone replied that if Individual-1 “take[s] care of business,” he would be paid. She also indicated she had additional “jobs” for him and swore on her children’s lives that he would be paid if he “[got] rid” of the victim. Following this, Massarone instructed Individual-1, “No more text.”
To demonstrate her commitment to the plan, Massarone wired $2,500 to Individual-1 as a down payment for the murder. Surveillance footage from a Western Union location captured her counting the $2,500 in $100 bills before sending the money.
Despite her efforts, the murder was never carried out. As time passed and her brother-in-law remained unharmed, Massarone grew increasingly frustrated with Individual-1. She urged him to speed up the process, even suggesting “rat poison” as an alternative method. Massarone accused Individual-1 of being “all talk and no action” and threatened to find someone else to do the job, warning that if she did, he would still be blamed.
Massarone’s plot was ultimately foiled by the undercover operation, leading to her arrest, conviction, and sentencing.
