NY Doctor Admitted 2nd Murder Plot Against His Wife After Tearful First Apology

A New York podiatrist accused of trying twice to arrange the murder of his wife has pleaded guilty in connection with a second plot, years after publicly apologizing in court for his first attempt, as reported by The New York Post.

Dr. Ira Bernstein, of Rockland County, first appeared in court in 2017 after prosecutors said he conspired with his girlfriend, Kelly Gribeluk, to pay $100,000 to have his wife Susan Bernstein killed.

Ira Bernstein, 51, of Rockland County, NY, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence in a second plot to murder his wife after serving prison time for a 2016 conspiracy. He attempted to destroy an audio recording of his solicitation. Sentencing is set for Dec. 5. (1010 WINS) pic.twitter.com/fUEODvouMw

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The plan was uncovered when the would-be hitman alerted authorities. Bernstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison.

At his sentencing, Bernstein addressed his wife, with whom he shares three children, in an emotional statement. “To Susan, we had a very stressful marriage, but no matter what happened there is no justification for entering into a conspiracy to have you murdered,” he said.

He added that he was “humiliated, humbled and frankly embarrassed” and pledged to live as a “compassionate and good-hearted man in the future.”

– Ira Bernstein, a Rockland County podiatrist, was involved in two separate murder-for-hire plots targeting his wife, Susan Bernstein, with the first occurring in 2017 and the second in 2022.
– The initial 2017 plot involved Ira Bernstein and his then-mistress Kelly Gribeluk… pic.twitter.com/G7QFU6jQD5

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Susan Bernstein spoke during the hearing as well, describing her husband as “evil” and a father unwilling to provide support for their children.

She told the court that while she and the children lived “in a hell, a constant state of crisis,” Ira was maintaining “a high-flying lifestyle” with his girlfriend.

Bernstein was released from prison in 2021 after serving four years. But prosecutors said that by the following year, he had once again attempted to arrange his wife’s murder.

According to the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, Bernstein asked a landscaper to kill his estranged wife and later attempted to have evidence of the plot destroyed.

Court documents show that Bernstein pleaded guilty this week to tampering with evidence tied to that second scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December and could face up to three years in prison.

The couple’s marriage, which began in 2001, had been marked by years of disputes and multiple divorce filings.

In prior legal proceedings, Susan Bernstein accused her husband of neglect and abuse, while Ira countered with claims that she manipulated their children and fabricated allegations during their divorce.

Court filings show the disputes included lawsuits, restraining orders, and accusations on both sides.

Susan Bernstein has filed civil lawsuits on behalf of her children in connection with both murder plots, including one case in 2023 that remains ongoing.

Prosecutors also charged Bernstein’s sister, Jaclyn Goldberg, in the evidence-tampering case. Authorities said she assisted him but may have her charges dropped in six months if she avoids legal trouble.

Bernstein’s guilty plea marks the latest development in a case that has spanned nearly a decade, involving repeated accusations, criminal convictions, and ongoing civil litigation.

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