Dina Manzo’s Ex-Husband Accused Of Hiring A Man To Attack Her Current Spouse In Exchange For A Lavish Wedding

The ex-husband of former The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, Dina Manzo, has been indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s office for allegedly hiring a member of a crime family to carry out an attack on the reality star’s spouse, NJ.com reported on Tuesday.

Thomas Manzo allegedly hired John Perna in 2015 to execute an attack on Dina’s boyfriend at the time, David Cantin. In exchange, Manzo provided a discount on a wedding. Perna is allegedly a member of the Lucchese Crime Family.

The indictment claims that Manzo provided personal details of Cantin to Perna to help locate the reality star’s boyfriend and carry out the assault. The information included the addresses of Cantin’s home and various businesses, as well as the type of vehicle he drove.

Cantin was attacked in July of 2015. In the indictment, Perna and an associate are accused of following Cantin to a local strip mall where the pair allegedly used a “slapjack” to harm the man. The U.S. Attorney contends that Perna and another alleged member of the Lucchese Family had “the intent to inflict serious permanent injury.” The attack was so severe that Cantin was reportedly left with a permanent facial scar. This attack is separate from the 2017 home invasion involving the reality star and her husband.

The U.S. Attorney’s office alleges that Manzo hired Perna to assault Cantin in exchange for a lavish wedding ceremony at Manzo’s business. Perna’s affair was held at The Brownstone in August 2015, one month after the attack on Cantin. The wedding was secured “for a fraction of the price,” the indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges. An associate of Perna’s purportedly paid for the affair that more than 330 people attended, including some alleged members of the Lucchese Crime Family. Manzo co-owns the Paterson, New Jersey catering hall with his brother, Albert Manzo.

Manzo and Perna are scheduled to appear in court via videophone on Tuesday. The men have been charged via indictment of “committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity,” according to the NJ.com report.

Manzo has also been charged with “falsifying and concealing records related to the federal investigation of the violent crime.” These charges stem from a long-standing investigation. The U.S. Attorney first requested information regarding Perna’s wedding shortly after it occurred. The indictment accuses Manzo of not only failing to provide the documents required but also alleges that he “deliberately submitted a false document regarding the reception to the government, along with a false certification.”

Manzo’s attorney maintains his client’s innocence while Perna’s attorney did not comment.