Millionaire caught red-handed by police after telling hitman to kill his model wife

USA:  Multi-millionaire Dino Guglielmelli sat at the table, tucking into lunch at a Thai restaurant with business acquaintance Richard ‘Rick’ Fuhrmann.

"You’re positive?" Rick said clearly to Dino. "You want her dead?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" he replied.

Dino was talking about his wife Monica, who he desperately wanted out of the picture. Rick tried to give him every opportunity to back out. "What about the kids?" he said, reminding him they’d be without a mother. "All they need is their dad," Dino said.

Dino promised Rick £52,500 for the ‘hit’ and Rick promised Dino his wife would be killed before their lunch was over. Dino didn’t care about the details. "I’ll read about it in the papers," he said, coldly.

But the only thing that made the headlines was Dino’s arrest. Every word was being recorded, undercover police were on other tables and Monica was safe in a hotel – reeling from the news the man she’d once loved wanted her dead.

A whirlwind romance

Canadian-born Monica Olsen, now 32, was the perfect package of looks and brains. She had a degree in international finance, spoke seven languages and, thanks to her stunning looks and strong work ethic, she had become a successful New York fashion model, appearing on billboards in Times Square. She moved to LA to fulfil her dream of becoming an actress and that’s where she met multi-millionaire Dino.

Dino, now 52, had made his fortune by tapping into LA’s obsession with health and fitness. His vitamin and dietary supplement company, Creation’s Garden, was turning over £32 million a year. When Monica, then 22, met the tycoon, she instantly fell for the charming and successful businessman and he was blown away by her beauty.

Just six months after they met, twice-divorced Dino flew Monica to Italy and proposed. Three months later they married in a lavish ceremony. Together they lived a privileged life in Valencia, California. After Monica had their daughters, Cienna and Vandela, she gave up modelling to be the stay-at-home mum Dino wanted her to be.

Dino Guglielmelli and his wife Monica The couple in happier times

With Dino’s help, Monica developed an organic skincare range while she was pregnant, and launched her own line called Skin by Monica. The brand was a success and it kick-started Monica’s career again. Quickly, Dino became jealous of how well she was doing. He was furious when she also started doing lingerie shoots.

Monica says her husband started to sabotage her skincare line by delaying shipping. Eventually, after seven years of marriage, the couple decided to divorce. Dino moved into the guest house, while their lawyers fought a custody battle.

Dino did business with ex-army man Rick Fuhrmann, 37, and Dino confided in him about the bitter split, telling him Monica had been a bad mum and wife. When Dino was told he’d have to pay Monica £36,000 a month, he went to Rick in a rage and asked him to try and get her deported back to Canada.

Because of Rick’s military connections, Dino assumed he’d help plant drugs in her car, or trick her into drink driving. Rick nodded in all the right places but didn’t act, assuming it was all talk.

Then Dino started to talk about Rick ‘taking care’ of his wife. Rick pretended to play along. He never harmed Monica, but he told Dino he was making plans and hoped he’d just come to his senses.

The truth was, Rick was horrified that Dino would do something to harm the mother of his children. Dino had everything – money, family and success. In Rick’s eyes, Dino was living the American Dream, but he was obsessed with ridding himself of Monica. "She has to go," Dino insisted. "This has to end."

Rick Fuhrmann Hitman Rick was approached repeatedly by Dino to kill Monica

One night, Dino and Monica got into a fight at their home and when the police were called, Dino used the scratches on his face to get Monica arrested for domestic violence. When the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, Dino needed Monica gone for good. He started calling Rick night and day, insisting he got the job done.

Rick wasn’t a killer and he feared for Monica’s safety, so he went to her divorce lawyer and told him everything. The police were informed and Rick agreed to wear a wire while talking to Dino.

Caught in the act

On October 1, 2013, the two men met for lunch at their favourite Thai restaurant. Undercover police were there too.

Rick gave him several chances to back out of the deal, but Dino said it was what he wanted. He asked Rick, "There’s no way for them to track it back to me?" Then said, "I’ll be happy when it’s all over."

Dino thought Monica was in Mexico, but she was safe in a hotel room having been told the man she once loved wanted her dead. The next day, Dino was arrested and charged.

But as the trial approached, police worried Rick might not have credibility on the stand – it was suggested he took advantage of his wealthy friend and had set him up – so they offered Dino a deal. If he pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the second degree, he’d get nine years in prison. Monica wasn’t happy about the deal, especially when, at the last minute, Dino accepted it.

In June 2014, Dino pleaded guilty. Monica read a victim impact statement. "Today is the most painful day of my life. I did not think I could gather the courage to be here to face the man who was my husband, the man I once loved more than anything, the father of my children and, ultimately, the man who wished to end my life."

Dino, who wore shackles, didn’t look at his shaken wife as she described their ‘nightmare’ marriage. "I forgive him, for that is the only way I can heal my heart. But I will never forget and now he needs to forgive himself," she added.

Dino will be eligible for parole after six years and Monica, who’s raising their daughters, now nine and six, has admitted she fears for her safety. Monica could never have guessed the man who swept her off her feet would risk everything to end her life.