Rockerfelle Auguste was arrested Thursday at his Manhattan office on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Police say the 35-year-old Auguste, a designer at an architectural firm, suspected his wife was cheating. They say he gave the undercover officer a samurai sword and a $500 deposit.
At a court hearing Friday, prosecutors said Auguste tried to hire a killer because he was angry about spending thousands of dollars on a wedding celebration that never happened. The two were civilly married.
The 26-year-old woman moved out of their Brooklyn home a few months ago after filing a domestic abuse report.
Auguste, who denied the charges, was being held without bail. His attorney, Kevin Morgan, said Auguste has no criminal record.
A woman who answered the phone early Friday at his home said she had no comment. She said she was his sister but declined to give her name.
