The Murmurings of a Murder-for-Hire Plot
A Confidential Call
As the FBI built its case against men they suspected were hired by prominent South Florida developer Sergio Pino to murder his wife, one of the men agreed in July to cooperate, making a recorded call to the man he said recruited him to form one of two "murder crews."
Prison Cells and Recruitment
Avery Bivins had met the man he was to call for the FBI as they both served terms in a Florida state prison — Bivins for attempted felony murder and armed robbery. The target of his controlled call was Fausto Villar, who had done time for armed robbery.
A Whispers of Conspiracy
"It’s going to be good, everything gonna be straight," Bivins tells Villar. "Straight. But the f—ing smoke has to clear." "Everything has to clear, smoke has to clear. So with what you got, try to fend off."
The Feds Strike
But it was too late for Bivins to fend off the feds. The July 15 call was a turning point in the investigation, as the next morning FBI arrest teams moved in to arrest Villar and Pino, who the U.S. Attorney’s Office said avoided murder-for-hire charges only because he shot himself in the head.
The Plot Thickens
Pino and Villar were connected through Villar’s wife’s roofing company, which was working on the Pinos’ $8 million waterfront Coral Gables home. The FBI alleges Pino gave him a very different task: arrange the murder of Pino’s wife of 30 years, Tatiana.
A Call to Arms
In the July 15 call, Villar sounds worried, knowing the feds were already onto the plot as several of the nine people eventually charged had been arrested. And Pino would spend that day amending lucrative trust agreements he had first set up in March when he executed his last will and testament — on the same day one of the men he allegedly hired to kill his wife was arrested.
Conspiracy and Concern
On the call, it’s clear Villar knew some of Bivins’ crew was already in custody and is concerned about possible conspiracy charges. He sounds concerned Bivins would be arrested next.
A Plan for Escape
"You should erase your ‘gram. You erase your ‘gram," he tells Bivins, concerned about their electronic trail. "You delete … delete. Do that for me, erase that. And then I’m going to go zero-dark-30 on this sh– for a while."
Legal Action
Villar wanted to be released prior to trial, but the government successfully argued he was too much of a flight risk and danger to the community. Bivins, on the other hand, had already paid Villar $75,000 after Bivins accepted the $150,000 contract to murder Tatiana – with a $150,000 bonus if the deed was done without being detected, according to the FBI complaint.
Motive and More
Bivins later told the FBI something Villar said Sergio Pino told him: Tatiana had rejected Sergio’s divorce settlement offer of $20 million. Financial statements produced in a divorce case deposition of Sergio put the couple’s 2022 net worth at more than $153 million and as much as $359 million.
Conclusion
The twisted tale of developer Sergio Pino’s alleged plot to have his wife murdered is coming into greater focus.
FAQs
Q: Who is Sergio Pino?
A: A prominent South Florida developer.
Q: Who is Fausto Villar?
A: A man accused of being one of Pino’s accomplices in the alleged murder-for-hire plot.
Q: What was the alleged motive for the murder?
A: Tatiana, Pino’s wife, had rejected a $20 million divorce settlement offer from Pino.
Q: How much was Bivins paid to murder Tatiana?
A: $150,000, with a $150,000 bonus if the deed was done without being detected.
