Mohammed Chowdhury of Boston, left, faces up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to hiring a hitman to kill his wife and her new boyfriend, prosecutors say. Chowdhury began texting, right, and speaking with someone who he thought was a hitman but actually was an undercover agent. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts)
A Boston man pleaded guilty to trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife and her new boyfriend whom she left him for, federal officials said.
Mohammed Chowdhury, 47, faces up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire on Thursday.
Prosecutors say a tipster alerted the FBI in November 2022 that Chowdhury was trying to have his wife killed. The person told agents that Chowdhury paid someone to carry out his wife’s murder but the person never followed through. Chowdhury said to the person that the murders needed to happen as soon as possible and even offered to rob a store to come up with the funds to pay for it, according to prosecutors.
The person gave Chowdhury a phone number for a possible hitman, but unbeknown to Chowdhury it was actually connecting him with an undercover FBI agent posing as a killer. Chowdhury met with the undercover numerous times in December 2022 and January 2023 to discuss the killings. He told them he wanted them to kill his wife and her new boyfriend and make it look like a robbery so he would not be a suspect, prosecutors said.
“So how we gonna disappear his, uh, body?” he asked. “No evidence. No evidence. No evidence from like, you know, that, uh, I did something, you know?”
He gave the undercover agents photos of his wife and her new boyfriend and ultimately agreed to pay them $4,000 per murder with a $500 deposit. After he gave them the money and confirmed he wanted the two dead, agents took him into custody on Jan. 17, 2023.
“Mohammed Chowdhury not only wanted to kill his wife; he was willing to kill her new boyfriend too. Given his complete lack of respect for human life, there’s no question he belongs behind bars, and today’s conviction ensures that will happen,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division.
Chowdhury had a previous conviction in October 2019 when he ignored an abuse protection order his wife filed against him. He pleaded to sufficient facts and received a continuance without a finding.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts called the case shocking, especially considering Chowdhury ignored his wife’s restraining order.
“This case is a stark reminder of the heinous nature of domestic violence and its potential to escalate into unthinkable acts. Violence, especially within the confines of domestic relationships, has no place here in Massachusetts, and we will use every available resource to ensure the safety of those at risk,” Levy said.
A judge set Chowdhury’s sentencing date for April 23.
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