Doctor charged with trying to hire hitmen off the dark web to kidnap his wife

Dr Ronald Craig Ilg is accused of seeking someone to abduct his spouse, drug her with heroin, and force her to drop divorce proceedings against him

The FBI has charged Dr Ronald Craig Ilg with attempted kidnapping (Getty Images)

A doctor in Spokane, Washington is in jail after allegedly trying to hire someone to kidnap his own wife.

According to a criminal complaint by the FBI, filed on Friday, Dr Ronald Craig Ilg wrote posts on the dark web soliciting hitmen to abduct his estranged spouse, drug her with heroin, and force her to drop divorce proceedings against him.

“I need the target kidnapped for five to seven days,” the neonatal doctor allegedly wrote, using the screen name Scar215. “While being held she is given at least daily doses of heroin. She is also strongly persuaded to do a few things within two weeks. 1, stop ALL Court proceedings, 2, return to your husband and the chaos you created, 3. Tell absolutely no one about this.”

According to the complaint, an unnamed news organization reported Dr Ilg’s posts to his wife, who then reported them to the FBI. Dr Ilg was then arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Dr Ilg has denied the charges.

The FBI’s criminal complaint includes disturbing excerpts of the doctor’s messages, in which he allegedly promised to pay $40,000 in Bitcoin for the kidnapping and fumed that his wife had caused “chaos” in his life.

“The target destroyed two families and walked away as if she did nothing,” Dr Ilg allegedly said.

“She should be told that her families health [sic], including her father and her kids, depend on her completing these rules,” the message goes on, apparently referring to his list of demands. “It would be unfortunate if her older boy became addicted to heroin. Or her dad be severely beaten or her dog be slaughtered. Any and all persuasion should be used.”

According to the FBI, the infant care doctor put out the hit in late March. But even before that, the complaint says, he requested an attack on another woman.

“The target should be given a significant beating that is obvious,” Dr Ilg allegedly wrote. “It should injure both hands significantly or break the hands. I tried to attach a pic but it wouldn’t load.”

This second target, who the report did not name, told the FBI she was a former employee of Dr Ilg’s, and believed he blamed her for a complaint someone filed against him.

Dr Ilg is being held at Spokane County Jail as he awaits his trial.