A Rockland County podiatrist has admitted to plotting with his girlfriend to kill his estranged wife.
The Journal News reports that 42-year-old Ira Bernstein faces five to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on conspiracy and grand larceny charges following Monday's plea.
Bernstein and his girlfriend, Kelly Gribeluk, have both pleaded guilty to conspiring to hire a local businessman to kill the podiatrist's wife. They also admitted to plotting to beat two insurance investigators to discourage them from bringing fraud allegations against Bernstein's podiatry practice.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy was caught on audio, video and wiretaps. They say the alleged hit man reported the plan to police.
The informant told police that the killing was to be done is such a way as to appear that the woman's death was an accident.
Bernstein operated Rockland Podiatry out of offices in Suffern and Bardonia.
In 2013, Gribeluk was involved in a custody fight over her three sons after breaking up with her Orthodox Jewish husband, according to a story in The Jewish Week. He husband accused her at the time of having an affair with his nephew.
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Bernstein is to be sentenced May 16. Gribeluk's plea agreement calls for four to 12 years in prison.
