The 51-year-old New York doctor was charged with attempting to hire someone to kill his now-ex-wife, Susan Bernstein, in 2023. Prosecutors stated that he was recorded asking a landscaper to carry out the murder.

After reaching an agreement with the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, Ira pleaded guilty on 25/8/2025, to fabricating evidence for attempting to delete the recording of the call.

During the sentencing hearing on 6/3, Susan testified, "Ira repeatedly stated that killing me would be cheaper than divorcing me". She commented that her ex-husband "learned no lesson" from his prior imprisonment and that another murder attempt was entirely possible.

Ira Bernstein at his sentencing hearing. *The Journal News*.

Ira denied the allegations in court, asserting he never requested or incited the landscaper to harm his ex-wife in any way.

Ira's lawyer argued that the landscaper initiated the conversation, leading Ira to participate in the discussion, but maintained there was no solicitation of a crime. The judge questioned why Ira did not report the phone call to authorities, to inform the police that someone was willing to harm his ex-wife.

Previously, Ira served nearly five years in state prison after being sentenced to five to 15 years in May 2017 for conspiring with his then-girlfriend, Kelly Gribeluk, to plan Susan's murder.

In court, the couple admitted to offering a car salesman 100,000 USD to run over Susan and stage the scene as an accident. However, the car salesman reported the offer to the police and cooperated with prosecutors, similar to the landscaper in the second plot.

Kelly, a mother of three, was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison. Ira and Kelly were released in 2021.

Ira Bernstein and his ex-wife Susan have three children. *NBC*.

In the new case, the judge sentenced Ira to one and a half to three years in prison, warning that with two prior felony convictions, another guilty verdict could result in life imprisonment.

The Rockland County District Attorney expressed hope that this prison sentence "will send a strong and clear message that domestic violence in any form will not be tolerated".

Ira's sister, Jaclyn Goldberg, was initially also charged with aiding in the destruction of the recording. However, prosecutors stated that Jaclyn's case is expected to be adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, meaning the charges will be dropped if she remains trouble-free for six months.

By Tue Anh (According to The Journal News, Nypost)