Officials: NJ therapist paid undercover agent to maim colleague

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- Authorities say a New Jersey therapist hired an FBI agent posing as a hit man to disfigure a colleague who had threatened to report her to a licensing board.

Diane Sylvia is charged with solicitation to commit a crime of violence.

Authorities say the 58-year-old Somers Point therapist asked a patient, who is a former gang member and informant, for help in injuring a Massachusetts man. Investigators say Sylvia said the man had "some stuff" on her that he would report.

Authorities say the informant connected Sylvia to an undercover FBI agent who recorded their conversations. Sylvia told the agent her colleague needed "his pretty little face bashed in."

Authorities say Sylvia paid $5,000 for the plan.

Sylvia made her initial court appearance Monday and has been released on bail. It's not known if she's retained an attorney.