Real estate mogul Sergio Pino ‘poisoned wife and hired men to kill her’ before he was found dead at $8m mansion
A REAL estate titan accused of poisoning his wife has been found dead at his million-dollar mansion.
Developer Sergio Pino, 67, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an FBI raid at his Florida home, cops said.
The FBI raided Pino’s $8 million home Tuesday morning in connection with an ongoing murder-for-hire investigation after his estranged wife, Tatiana, said that he poisoned her “multiple times” with fentanyl.
The allegations against Pino in the former couple’s divorce proceedings also included claims of arson and stalking – but he hadn’t yet been charged with a crime.
Pino founded Miami-Dade area-based real estate company Century Homebuilders Group.
FBI officials said the real estate mogul was found dead from an “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” in an upstairs bedroom of his home in Coral Gates, about five miles outside of Miami.
Pino’s attorney Sam Rabin confirmed to The U.S. Sun that he died by suicide.
“Sergio Pino took his own life today,” Rabin said in a statement slamming how law enforcement handled the raid.
“The level of law enforcement activity at his residence was unprecedented and unnecessary, especially since we had offered to surrender him should that have become necessary.
“Today’s events mark a very tragic ending to an investigation that we were confident we could successfully defend.
“There were many rumors and allegations but what was lacking was evidence.”
ABC affiliate WPLG reported that agents picked up electronics, safes, and three boxes of documents from the home.
The outlet reportedly heard the sound of “periodic flash-bangs” as the SWAT team’s raid ensued.
Authorities had conducted another raid in connection with the murder-for-hire investigation that morning in Miami, where they made an arrest.
“The subject was arrested without incident and a search of that location was conducted,” officials said in a statement.
Four people have already been arrested in a stalking conspiracy in connection to the case, according to court documents.
FBI’s statement about the incident
FBI Miami’s Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Veltri shared the following statement regarding Tuesday’s incident.
“This morning, the FBI conducted search and arrest operations at two locations in Miami-Dade County which are connected to an ongoing murder-for-hire investigation initiated in the Fall of 2023,” Veltri said.
“The first operation was at 9720 Bel Aire Drive in Miami. The subject was arrested without incident and a search of that location was conducted. No further information about this location will be released at this time.
“The second location was at 142 Isla Dorada Boulevard in Coral Gables where the subject, Sergio Pino, was discovered by the FBI inside the residence deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Upon arrival, members of the FBI Miami SWAT team attempted to call out any occupants of the residence.
“When there was no response, the SWAT team entered the residence and conducted a methodical search to locate the subject. Ultimately, Mr. Pino was discovered alone in an upstairs bedroom.
“The ultimate determination of cause of death will come from the medical examiner’s office.
“I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida for their close cooperation and diligence during this investigation.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time,” the statement concluded.
Bayron Bennett, Sergio’s former employee, was one of the men arrested.
An FBI affidavit says that Bennett worked on the Pinos’ yacht.
Court documents allege that Bennett was involved with a hit-and-run outside of Tatiana’s home in August 2023, which investigators say was a targeted case.
Video footage of the incident shows Tatiana pulling into her driveway as a Home Depot pickup truck circled backward around the car until it rammed into the passenger side of her SUV and drove off.
Michael Dulfo, one of the four arrested who police said was connected to renting the Home Depot truck, told investigators that he was “contracted” to commit the crime, according to the FBI’s affidavit.
Tatiana had filed for divorce from Sergio in April 2022 after 32 years of marriage.
She said in divorce documents that she began to have health problems around 2019 or 2020.
Tatiana’s attorney, Raymond J. Rafool, told WPLG that testing around that time revealed “bath salts in her medications and fentanyl in her system.”
Rafool alleged that the only known suspect in the case was Sergio.
“My client feels very strongly that he has been trying to poison her for two years” before she filed for divorce, the attorney told local NBC affiliate WTVJ.
“In this already complex divorce, we have had to address the terrorism and the attacks on Tatiana’s life. It is truly terrible,” Rafool told WPLG Tuesday.
“Thankfully, the FBI is involved and working hard to keep Tatiana safe and bringing those responsible to justice.”
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Tatiana’s attorney for comment.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
