Thomas “Tommy” Manzo has been found guilty of hiring mobster John Perna to violently attack ex-wife Dina Manzo‘s current husband, Dave Cantin, and paying him with a free wedding reception at The Brownstone, which he owns with Albert Manzo, husband of Caroline Manzo.
According to a new report, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the news on Tuesday, confirming that 59-year-old Tommy, who hails from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, received the conviction following a two-and-a-half-week trial conducted by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in a federal court in Newark.
RLS Media shared the news on June 4, revealing that Tommy, who married Dina in 2005 before their 2012 split, faced charges including “committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit such a crime resulting in serious injury, and falsifying and concealing documents related to a federal investigation.”
The report went on to share additional details from Attorney Sellinger, who said, “Thomas Manzo employed a member of the Lucchese Crime Family to carry out a brutal assault on his ex-wife’s then-boyfriend, inflicting serious injuries.”
“As determined by a unanimous jury, Manzo committed multiple crimes by providing a free wedding in exchange for the assault and subsequently concealing related documents. He will now face appropriate consequences for his actions,” he continued.
Meanwhile, federal agent James E. Dennehy revealed that Tommy is facing “a substantial federal prison sentence.”
“He orchestrated a free wedding and hid the documents to cover his actions. While the details resemble a plot from a poor TV crime drama, the evidence and testimony confirmed it was reality. We hope the victims can move on and leave Manzo and his criminal associations behind,” Dennehy stated.
As Real Housewives of New Jersey fans may recall, Dave was brutally assaulted in July 2015 by John, a member of the Lucchese Crime Family, who ultimately received a two-and-a-half-year sentence for the beating. He was then accused of hiding and falsifying documents related to the event amid the investigation.
According to RLS Media, Tommy is facing 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the racketeering charge, three years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and 20 years and a $250,000 fine for falsifying and concealing documents related to a federal investigation.
He is expected to be sentenced on October 15, 2024.
