Overview of Take Two (Dateline — NBC News)
This Dateline episode, hosted by Lester Holt with Andrea Canning reporting, tells the true-crime story of a shocking murder-for-hire plot in Rockland County, New York. The plot involved a car‑salesman informant, a woman (Kelly Gribulak) who sought to hire a killer, the intended target Susan Bernstein (a housewife), and Susan’s estranged husband Dr. Ira Bernstein (a podiatrist). What appears to be an arranged “accident” to kill a wife for money spirals into a multi‑year investigation, two separate stings, criminal charges, plea deals, and a later, second solicitation attempt that reignited prosecution years after the first case.
Key people
- Kelly Gribulak — central conspirator who solicited a hit on Susan; former mortician/aspiring model; mother of three.
- Dr. Ira Bernstein — podiatrist, Susan’s estranged husband; alleged motive: money/assets, insurance fraud; involved romantically with Kelly.
- Susan Bernstein — intended victim, mother of three; did not consent to the plot and was targeted twice.
- “Markenzie” — car salesman and confidential informant who recorded multiple meetings and worked with detectives.
- Detectives Robert Fitzgerald and Peter Luzan; Detective Peggy Braddock — Ramapo PD investigators.
- Prosecutor Richard Moran — Rockland County prosecutor who handled the case.
- Jacqueline Goldberg — Ira’s sister (lawyer), later implicated in evidence tampering allegations.
- An unnamed landscaper — later recorded Ira in a second solicitation attempt and played a key role exposing the reprise plot.
Timeline & major events
- April 2016: Kelly approaches car salesman Markenzie seeking a hit on Susan. Markenzie alerts a police officer friend and then Ramapo detectives; a sting is organized.
- Multiple recorded meetings (Walmart, CVS, gas station): Kelly negotiates how Susan should be killed (make it look like an accident — a staged car strike), discusses price (initially $200K, negotiated down toward $100K), and references a partner who will provide money/men.
- Detectives stage proof to convince Ira and Kelly (including photos of two insurance investigators “beaten up” — the beatings were staged with cooperation of the investigators and makeup) to flush out Ira’s participation.
- Kelly gives a $2,000 cash deposit during the sting; recordings capture Ira in a car with the informant agreeing to a plan and discussing logistics.
- Arrests: Kelly arrested at the Walmart meeting; Ira arrested later the same day. Charges: conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder; also additional charges tied to insurance fraud/assault on investigators.
- 2017–2021: Both defendants face prosecution. Kelly pleads and accepts a deal; both reportedly serve time (Dateline reports both spent four years behind bars and were released in 2021).
- 2022: Ira allegedly tries again to solicit murder (this time via a landscaper he partnered with); the landscaper records conversations and alerts Susan and prosecutors.
- 2024–2026: New charges (criminal solicitation, tampering with evidence, conspiracy) follow; pieces of recorded evidence and text messages are used by prosecutors. In March 2026 Ira pleads guilty to tampering with evidence (in connection with solicitation) and is ultimately sentenced to an indeterminate 1.5 to 3 years; Jacqueline Goldberg reaches an adjournment contemplating dismissal (conditions apply). The landscaper regains his business.
Investigation tactics & evidence
- Undercover informant: Markenzie (car salesman) wore wired cameras/mics and met Kelly/Ira repeatedly to document their plans.
- Staged corroboration: Detectives coordinated with two insurance investigators to stage “beatings” and produced photos to persuade Ira that retaliatory violence had occurred, prompting further admissions.
- Digital evidence: Facebook Messenger conversations, texts, phone records, and recorded audio from meetings supplied core proof of intent and planning.
- Overt act: Kelly’s handing over of a cash deposit and Ira’s on‑tape planning discussions provided the “overt acts” prosecutors needed to advance charges beyond mere talk.
Legal outcomes
- Initial prosecution: Kelly and Ira were charged with conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder; additional charges included insurance fraud and paying for assaults.
- Plea bargains and sentencing:
- Kelly accepted a plea deal (reported as a lengthy agreement with parole possibility) and cooperated to a degree; she served time and was released.
- Ira accepted plea deals at different points: earlier pleas resolved certain charges (including grand larceny/conspiracy related matters), and later he pled guilty to tampering with evidence connected to a second solicitation attempt. In March 2026 he received a sentence of 1.5–3 years and was remanded; an order of protection for Susan and her children was issued through 2037.
- Jacqueline Goldberg: charges were resolved via adjournment contemplating dismissal (conditional).
- Civil fallout: The landscaper and Ira sued each other (dismissed); Susan pursued civil claims for emotional distress.
Themes, motives & takeaways
- Motive centered on money and control: Prosecutors portray Ira’s actions as driven by preserving assets and avoiding the financial consequences of divorce/post‑nuptial demands; insurance fraud and lavish lifestyle pressures appear central.
- Loyalty, manipulation, and coercion: Kelly and Ira’s relationship dynamics (romance, loyalty, and mutual rationalizing) complicated the investigation and prosecution; both defendants later blamed and contradicted each other.
- Law enforcement method: The case highlights classic undercover stings — using confidential informants, staged corroboration, and careful recording to produce actionable evidence without endangering the target.
- Recidivism risk: The story takes a darker turn when Ira allegedly tries again after release, underscoring continued threat potential and the difficulty of fully resolving violent intent through one prosecution.
Notable quotes
- “These guys are professional. Once they grab her, I don’t know what’s going to happen. All I know is that she’s not going back home.” — Ira (on the alleged killers)
- “It was shocking. Lightning was about to strike twice.” — Detective/producer commentary on the reprise plot
- “If you don’t go through with this, harm could come to you.” — Defense claim of alleged coercion raised by Ira’s legal team; prosecutors countered that neither defendant alerted police or the intended victim.
Where to learn more
- The episode refers listeners to the Talking Dateline podcast for behind‑the‑scenes discussion; Dateline’s full episode provides the full interviews and audio excerpts used in the investigation.
- For anyone concerned about domestic violence or threats: contact local law enforcement or national helplines (e.g., the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline) for immediate help.
Summary takeaway: Take Two traces a rare, twisted conspiracy where romantic entanglement, money, staged violence, and persuasive undercover work combined to stop an intended murder — and then revealed the unsettling reality that the threat didn’t end with the first prosecution.