Bravo's The Real Housewives of New Jersey's former star, Dina Manzo, watched a mobster hired by her ex-husband, Thomas Manzo, plead guilty in court last Wednesday for assaulting her now-husband Dave Cantin. Scorned lover, Thomas Manzo, had hired the man to beat up Dina's then-boyfriend. It was in exchange for a discounted New Jersey wedding reception at a lavish location.
Dina Mazno appeared in the first two seasons of RHONJ back in 2009, then again in 2014, and finally in 2015 before relocating to California. She was notable for her two-legged dog, hairless cat, and causing big drama at the reunion show. After a rocky marriage, she divorced Thomas which was finalized back in 2016. She went on and married Dave Cantin in 2017. Thomas Manzo, connected to the Lucchese crime family, was jealous of her relationship with Cantin and brought in John Perna to carry out the attack on him.
According to The New York Times, five years ago Thomas Manzo promised Perna a huge discount on a wedding reception location if he were to successfully carry out the attack. Dave Cantin was ultimately beaten up by Perna and an associate outside of a strip mall in Northern New Jersey. Perna used a slapjack, a small club weapon that can cause some serious damage to inflict the assault. Only a month later, Perna's wedding took place, followed by a 330 person reception. The venue was partially owned by Thomas Manzo.
The location for the reception is a famous RHONJ shooting location, an 1800s-era brownstone in Paterson, N.J. Fans would remember the brownstone from the infamous Porsche fashion show episode. John Perna pleaded guilty to participating in the attack last week. According to The New York Times, Thomas Manzo pleaded not guilty to assault and falsifying and concealing records involving the investigation last June. Manzo will stand trial in April for these crimes.
Of course, Perna's move is a serious blow to Manzo's case, and will likely drag Dina into court. Some fans speculate whether Dina's sudden move to California had been prompted by fears of being attacked. She and Dave Cantin had also fallen victim to a robbery at their New Jersey home before moving to Malibu, Calif. That being said, the Manzo family has always been a big part of RHONJ. A number of family members have appeared in episodes since the 2009 release of the Real Housewives installment. This includes Thomas' brother and sister-in-law, Caroline Manzo. Fans will have to wait and see how this real-world crime plays out on the hit reality show, Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Source: The New York Times, Vulture