Christopher Thieme Gets 210 Months for Murder-For-Hire Plot

Christopher Thieme, 36, of Newton, New Jersey, is headed to federal prison for 210 months after admitting to a cold-blooded plan to kidnap and murder a woman he met through an online dating service. The sentencing, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark, marks the end of a chilling scheme that unraveled when Thieme’s own confidant tipped off law enforcement.

Thieme pleaded guilty to one count of attempted kidnapping and one count of murder-for-hire. Court documents reveal that between December 2015 and January 4, 2016, he actively recruited an associate to help him carry out the abduction and killing. His motive? To steal from the victim—clean out her bank accounts and fraudulently sell her home to fund the hit.

The plot collapsed when the associate, spooked by Thieme’s intentions, contacted authorities. Acting on the tip, the FBI deployed an undercover agent posing as a hitman. Thieme, without hesitation, laid out his plan in detail—how the woman would be taken, what would happen afterward, and how the cash from her assets would pay for her death.

Judge Wigenton not only imposed the 210-month sentence but also ordered three years of supervised release and $1,034 in restitution. The sum reflects expenses incurred during the undercover operation, a small price compared to the life Thieme tried to destroy.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman commended the FBI’s Newark office, led by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, for running a tight, effective sting. He also acknowledged critical support from multiple local agencies, including the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, and police departments in Newton, Paramus, Paterson, Roxbury, and Wayne.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hafetz of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit. Thieme was represented by Patrick McMahon, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark. The courtroom was silent as the sentence was read—justice, delivered without drama, without mercy.