NEW JERSEY – The ex-husband of a former star of the Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” was sentenced to 84 months in prison for hiring, then assisting, a mobster to assault his ex-wife’s current husband, officials said.
After a two-and-a-half-week trial, Thomas Manzo, 59, of Franklin Lakes, was convicted on June 4, 2024, of one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering, and one count of falsifying and concealing documents related to a federal investigation.
According to authorities, Manzo hired Lucchese Crime Family soldier John Perna in spring 2015 to assault the man who was dating his ex-wife Dina at the time.
As the co-owner of The Brownstone, a Paterson catering hall, Manzo paid for the assault with a free wedding reception.
Perna planned the attack with his own crew and carried out the assault on July 18, 2015.
The Perna wedding was held in August 2015 at the Brownstone, and was attended by about 330 people, many of whom also were members of the Lucchese Crime Family.
Four years later, Manzo concealed and falsified documents related to the Perna wedding in response to a grand jury subpoena, officials said.
“Whether you’re actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. “Covering up the role you played only makes it worse. The jury’s verdict, and today’s sentence, make clear that this office will spare no resources to hold accountable anyone who commits such crimes.”
In addition to the prison term, the judge sentenced Manzo to three years of supervised release and ordered him immediately remanded.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the conviction. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Officers with the Lyndhurst Police Department, Officers with the Totowa Police Department, Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office, Investigators of the New Jersey State Police, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for their substantial assistance.
