'RHONJ' Star's Ex-Husband Caged for 7 Years After He 'Went Joe Exotic' — and Hired MAFIA HITMAN to Assault Her New Husband
Dina Cantin's ex-husband Thomas was senteced to seven years in prison for the assault of her current husband.
Oct. 16 2024, Published 12:58 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Cantin's ex-husband has been sentenced to seven years behind bars.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Thomas Manzo took a page out of Tiger King's book and hired a hitman to assault Dina's current husband, Dave Cantin, in 2015.
Manzo, 59, reportedly promised a "free, lavish wedding reception" at his catering hall, The Brown Stone, in exchange for mobster John Perna assaulting Dina's then-boyfriend.
Dina was married to Thomas Manzo from 2005 to 2016.
The U.S. District Attorney's Office in the District of New Jersey released a press statement on Tuesday, October 15, announcing Manzo had been sentenced to 84 months for "hiring, then assisting, a soldier in the Lucchese Crime Family to assault".
Manzo was found guilty by a jury on June 4 following a two week trial in Newark.
He was found guilty on 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.
Thomas hired a Lucchese crime family solider to assault her current husband in 2015.
Dina's ex-husband was additionally sentenced to three years of supervised release.
In December 2020, Perna, who is a solider of the Lucchese crime family, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced to 30 months behind bars.
Perna was released in August 2023.
Manzo was also said to be involved in the couple's 2017 home invasion.
At his sentencing, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said: "Whether you're actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent.
"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."
Court documents revealed the U.S. attorney's office originally sough a 10-year sentence and worked with Manzo in the initial stages of the trial on a plea deal, in which he would have to serve a maximum of 14 months for his role in the crime; however, he refused the offer.
Legal filing revealed Manzo was "upset" about Dina's new relationship and wanted the assault to "leave a permanent facial scar" on Dave.
This wasn't the first time Manzo targeted his ex-wife and her current partner.
The 59-year-old was also said to be involved in the couple's 2017 home invasion, during which Dina's $60,000 engagement ring was stolen.
Dina's ex-husband was sentenced to seven years in prison for orchestrating the 2015 assault.
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After Manzo's sentencing was made public, Dina, 52, took to Instagram stories and shared a passage seemingly addressing her ex-husband's legal woes.
The passage read: "Because at the end of the day, the right people fight for you. The right people show up. The right people care, not only when life is convenient, but when it is difficult and messy and it aches all over."
Dina was married to Manzo from 2005 to 2016. She married Dave in 2017.
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