Let me tell you something about my family – they loved The Sopranos. I never watched it because it scared me. Reading these stories about former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo and her first husband Tommy Manzo, brings up the same bad feelings. In case you missed it, Dina’s ex-husband Tommy (the brother of Albert Manzo – who is also the husband of Dina’s sister, Caroline Manzo) hired a hitman to attack her current husband, David Cantin. I guess the Manzo family is not as “thick as thieves” as stated years ago at the Season One reunion of RHONJ. Caroline has even spoken out about this matter, supporting no one in her family, by saying, “I want to know the truth and my allegiance will lie with the truth.”
Back in May 2017, Dina and David were the victims of a violent robbery that left them so shaken they moved across the country to the West Coast. A man named James Mainello was arrested in connection to this attack. Before this terrifying attack, in 2015, Tommy apparently hired a hitman to commit a violent assault against David in exchange for a reduced price on a wedding reception. I know the economy has been bad, but desperate times do not call for abusing people. Finally, some justice is being served, and it looks like Caroline will have to show some allegiance to Dina.
According to People, Tommy and the hitman he hired, John Perna, were arrested Tuesday and ordered to stay away from Dina and David. Both Tommy and John plead not guilty to charges of “planning and carrying out an assault on Cantin in exchange for a discounted wedding reception.” As reported by People, the indictment reveals that “John Perna was scheduled to hold a wedding reception on August 16, 2015.” The location of the reception was The Venue in Passaic County, where Tommy acts as co-owner.
The documents state that Tommy was upset with David’s “ongoing relationship” with Dina and that he, “planned to have a violent assault committed” on David, that was to “leave a permanent facial scar.” That is legitimately terrifying! Tommy offered “to hold the reception for free or at a deeply discounted price,” if John, “would commit or cause to be committed a violent assault” on David.
RELATED: Albert Manzo Denies His Family Has Mob Ties After Allegations That His Brother Tommy Manzo Hired Hitman To Attack Dina Manzo’s Husband
John followed through with the plan “on or about” July 18, 2015. According to the documents, along with a different hitman, John followed David to a shopping mall in New Jersey, where they attacked him “in the parking lot.” John and his accomplice used “a dangerous weapon” intended to “inflict serious permanent injury on David.” Tommy then “fulfilled his agreement to hold the reception at a free or discounted price,” the documents attest.
Tommy and John have been charged with “committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity.” John has additionally been charged with “conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud related to the submission of a false car insurance claim.”
RELATED: Caroline Manzo Is “Heartbroken” Over Arrest Of Dina Manzo’s Ex-Husband For Planning Assault On Her New Husband; Vows Her “Allegiance Will Lie With The Truth”
Additional charges have also been brought on Tommy for “falsifying and concealing records related to the federal investigation of the violent crime.” It sounds like Tommy is in deep! While we’ll have to wait and see how this plays out, for now, let’s be happy that Dina and David have some protections in place.
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TELL US- CAN THIS STORY BE MORE INSANE? DO YOU THINK CAROLINE WILL COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF DINA? OR WILL SHE STAY NEUTRAL? WILL DINA EVEN WANT TO HEAR FROM CAROLINE?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
