The ex-husband of former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Dina Cantin, formerly Dina Manzo, was convicted of hiring a mobster to assault her then-boyfriend in 2015, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey said in a statement. Sweater. Tuesday.
Thomas Manzo's case, described by a federal agent as almost a “bad TV crime drama,” concluded this week when a unanimous jury found him guilty of planning the attack on Dave Cantin, whom Dina married in 2017.
In exchange for the assault, prosecutors said Manzo offered the mob member a free wedding reception at his restaurant, which Manzo then tried to hide.
Manzo was found guilty in federal court in Newark on one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activities, one count of conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of forgery and concealment of documents related to a federal investigation. He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“He will now face just punishment for his crimes,” the federal prosecutor said. said Philip R. Sellinger.
During the nearly three-week trial, federal prosecutors argued that Manzo hired John Perna of the Lucchese crime family to target Cantin. Perna, a fully initiated member of the mafia, also known as a “made man,” and a crew member assaulted Cantin on July 18, 2015.
The attack, prosecutors said, left Cantin with “significant injuries.” The following month, Perna held a “lavish” reception for about 330 attendees at Manzo's Brownstone restaurant. While under federal investigation, Manzo “concealed and falsified documents” related to the wedding. He now faces up to 43 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for October 15.
Perna pleaded guilty to the assault in December 2020 and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison; She was released last August.
“We truly hope that the victims of this investigation can move on with their lives and forget about Manzo and his fellow mob criminals,” Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
