The ex-husband of a former star of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” has been indicted for allegedly hiring a member of the Lucchese Crime Family to carry out an assault of the Bravo star’s current husband in exchange for a lavish wedding reception, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Thomas Manzo, 55, of Franklin Lakes, and the ex-husband of Dina Cantin (formerly Manzo), allegedly hired John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove, in the spring of 2015 to assault his ex-wife’s then-boyfriend in exchange for a deeply-discounted wedding reception at The Brownstone in Paterson, where Manzo is an owner, according to the indictment.
According to the indictment, Manzo allegedly provided Perna personal information about his ex-wife’s boyfriend, including his residence, business addresses and vehicle, to help Perna locate the man in order to assault him, as Manzo allegedly requested.
In July 2015, Perna and another man allegedly involved in the Lucchese Crime Family, located the boyfriend and his vehicle and followed him to a strip mall in Passaic County, where they allegedly attacked the man, according to the indictment.
Perna allegedly used a slap jack with “the intent to inflict serious permanent injury” during the assault, according to the indictment. The alleged attack left the man with a permanent facial scar, authorities said.
In return, Perna held a “lavish wedding reception at Manzo’s restaurant for a fraction of the price” in August 2015, which was allegedly paid for by another Lucchese associate and close friend of Manzo’s, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. There were more than 330 attendees at the wedding, including many members of the crime family, authorities said.
Manzo and Perna are each charged by indictment with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity.
Federal investigators launched an investigation into the alleged assault shortly after it occurred in July 2015, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal grand jury subpoenas were sent to The Brownstone restaurant seeking documents related to Perna’s August 2015 wedding reception, but Manzo allegedly failed to provide the requested documents and “deliberately submitted a false document regarding the reception to the government, along with a false certification,” authorities said.
The documents were later seized in November 2019 when the federal authorities executed a search warrant at The Brownstone and obtained the invoices and other documents related to the wedding reception that were not originally turned over, authorities said.
Manzo is also indicted for allegedly falsifying and concealing records related to the federal investigation of the violent crime.
Manzo’s attorney, Michael Critchley, said his client is innocent of all the charges.
“The allegations more resemble a fictional plot of a reality TV show and will be proven to be absolutely and totally false as it relates to Thomas Manzo,” Critchley said.
Manzo, known as Tommy Manzo on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” married former cast member Dina Manzo in 2007 and appeared on the show in its first season. The two separated in 2012 and finalized their divorce in 2016.
He owns The Brownstone with his brother, Albert, who is married to Dina’s sister, Caroline, another former “RHONJ” cast member.
Perna, who federal authorities describe in the indictment as a “made man” in the Lucchese Crime Family, which operates in the New Jersey region, faces additional charges unrelated to the alleged assault.
Shortly before he was set to serve a state prison sentence in 2016 for racketeering, Perna allegedly falsely reported his Mercedes Benz was stolen and destroyed and subsequently filed an insurance claim and recouped the money needed to pay off the loan for the car.
However, according to the indictment, Perna allegedly had an associate of the Lucchese Crime Family stage the theft of the vehicle and light it on fire in Newark.
He was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud related to the false car insurance claim.
Perna’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the indcitment.
Perna was released from state prison on parole in July 2019 on the racketeering charge related to running a multi-billion-dollar gambling enterprise with other members of the Lucchese Crime Family, including his father, Ralph, and his brother, Joseph.
Both men wee released on $100,000 unsecured appearance bonds during their first appearance in federal court Tuesday.
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Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com.