Long Island Doctor, 2 Others Face Charges In Alleged Murder-For-Hire Plot

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Three men, including a Long Island doctor, are facing federal charges in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot.

It sounds like a crazy movie plot, but Nassau County Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas said Dr. Anthony Moschetto, 54, wanted a rival cardiologist dead following a professional dispute, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.

Moschetto allegedly enlisted the help of James Chmela, 44, of Selden, and James Kalamaras, 41, of Suffolk County, who are also charged in the case, to help carry out the scheme, prosecutors said.

Moschetto hired the two men to set fire to the other cardiologist's office in Great Neck and paid for the crime by giving them illegal weapons and oxycodone pills, Singas said.

The fire was set in February. It was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured. Renovation signs were seen Wednesday at the office where the arson allegedly took place.

Moschetto then tried to hire a man, who turned out to be an undercover detective, to assault or kill the other cardiologist, prosecutors said.

"He was willing to pay $5,000 to have him beaten and put in a hospital for a few months, and then he said he would pay $20,000 to have him killed," said Assistant District Attorney Anne Donnelly.

Throughout the investigation, Moschetto passed off prescription pills and stacks of blank prescription pads along with an Uzi and another assault rifle -- similar to an AK-47 -- as payments to undercover Nassau County police and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigators, McLogan reported.

When investigators raided Moschetto's Sands Point home on Long Island's Gold Coast, they found approximately 100 weapons, including a hand grenade, in a secret room in the basement hidden behind a moving bookshelf, prosecutors said.

"Dr. Moschetto is a hidden monster living in the North Shore area who has no respect for law and life," said Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter.

"Luckily for his victim, Dr. Moschetto chose the wrong people to deal with in this scheme, and we stopped it dead in its tracks before anyone could get hurt or killed," Singas said.

The identity of the alleged victim has not been released.

Charges against the men include arson, conspiracy and criminal possession and sale of drugs and weapons, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.

The investigation began in December 2014 with the purchase of prescription pills, heroin and two fully loaded assault weapons, Singas said.

A judge signed two orders of protection Wednesday, ordering Moschetto to stay away from the alleged victims.

Moschetto faces up to 25 years in prison on the top charge.