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A former New York podiatrist who served four years in prison for a botched murder-for-hire plot against his estranged wife has been charged in a second attempt to have his wife killed — this time recruiting his lawyer sister to destroy the evidence.

Ira Bernstein, 49, was charged with multiple felonies last week for attempting to solicit the murder of his wife, Susan Bernstein, between July 29 and Sept. 21, 2022, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Ira had been released from prison in 2021 for hatching an initial plot to hire a car salesman to murder his wife.

One year after being set free, the convict allegedly recruited sister Jaclyn Goldberg, an employment attorney at the firm Keane & Beane, P.C., and tried to launch a second murder plot.

Goldberg, 40, was accused of helping to cover up the conspiracy. She was charged with one count of tampering with physical evidence, one count of third-degree hindering the prosecution, and one count of fifth-degree conspiracy.

Both pleaded not guilty, lohud.com reported.

As of Tuesday morning, Goldberg was still listed as a member of Keane & Beane, where she acted as labor counsel.

The Ramapo Police Department did not release any further details on the second conspiracy.


  Ira Bernstein was indicted last week. Ramapo Police Department Ira Bernstein was indicted last week. Ramapo Police Department

“This is a new indictment and has no connection to the previous case,” Chief of Detectives Peter Walker, said Friday.

“As you can see in the release, allegedly there was solicitation by Ira Bernstein to have his wife murdered. His sister, Jaclyn Goldberg allegedly conspired to destroy evidence of that solicitation.”

In 2015, Bernstein plotted with his then-lover, Kelly Gribeluk, to pay car salesman Marckensy Louissaint $100,000 to kill Susan by running her over and making it look like an accident, Lohud.com said.

The original fee had been prosed as $200,000 by Louissaint, but Gribeluk negotiated him down to half that amount.


  Susan Bernstein called her husband “evil” at his 2017 sentencing. Oxygen Susan Bernstein called her husband “evil” at his 2017 sentencing. Oxygen

The sick plan was foiled when the salesman reported the couple to the police.

Bernstein subsequently pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy and other charges, and was sentenced to five to 15 years behind bars in 2017.

At the sentencing, Susan Bernstein told the judge her husband was “evil,” and risked having their special-needs daughter killed in order to get rid of his estranged wife.


  Bernstein was charged alongside his sister, lawyer Jaclyn Goldberg. Jaclyn Goldberg/Facebook Bernstein was charged alongside his sister, lawyer Jaclyn Goldberg. Jaclyn Goldberg/Facebook

“This is beyond sickening,” she said in court. “My children knew their father was evil. Ira is evil.”

A year after the pair’s conviction, Susan called for tougher penalties, stressing that her three children were afraid that their father would be released.

“For them to be scared that he’ll be out on the streets with his accomplice Kelly Gribeluk is extremely frightening for them,” Susan said in 2018.

“It is a daily struggle for me and my three young children. There’s constant obstacles in the way. We’ve seen no remorse and it’s just an uphill battle.”


  Kelly Gribeluk was Bernstein’s girlfriend when they plotted to kill his wife in 2015. Ramapo Police Department Kelly Gribeluk was Bernstein’s girlfriend when they plotted to kill his wife in 2015. Ramapo Police Department

She added: “Trying to make every day, get out of bed and do what we can for the sake of my children, and just trying to take it one step at a time. It’s tough, very tough.”

Bernstein and Gribeluk were paroled within months of each other in 2021.

Gribeluk, a former mortician and aspiring model, said during a 2017 interview with NBC’s “Dateline” that she and Ira had bonded after he revealed details of his separation.

“I wanted them to do what was best for their family,” Gribeluk told the program.

Ira also discussed the twisted love affair with the woman who helped him plot to kill his wife.

“She was just so caring and compassionate. She was supportive of me. She was there when I had to study for long hours,” Ira said about Gribeluk.

“She completely understood me. Like, I found someone who actually got me — and she has a sexy kind of look to her.”

Rockland District Attorney Thomas Walsh commended the Ramapo Police Department for their work on the case.

“We will now move forward with the prosecution phase of the case,” Walsh said.

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