Thomas Manzo, the television personality, was found guilty on Tuesday for his role in the assault of his ex-wife’s new husband.
Key Takeaways
- Thomas Manzo has been convicted of assault on his ex-wife’s new husband, involving a mobster in carrying out the attack.
- Manzo’s family has a long history of alleged connections to organized crime, with his father being one of the biggest “mob enforcers in New Jersey.”
- His father, Albert “Tiny” Manzo, was sadly murdered in 1983.
The verdict comes after a two-and-a-half-week trial where prosecutors alleged that Manzo directed a mobster to carry out the attack on the victim, Dave Cantin, who was dating his ex-wife, Dina Cantin, at that time.
The suspected mob member, John Perna, received a free wedding reception at The Brownstone in 2015, allegedly as part of the arrangement for the assault.
According to federal records, Perna pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 months in prison, being released in August 2023.
Prosecutors stated that Manzo now faces a “lengthy” federal prison term, with a maximum of 20 years on two counts and an additional three years for the conspiracy charge.
Father Was One Of The Biggest Mob Enforcers
Tommy Manzo’s alleged ties to organized crime are not entirely surprising, as his family has a history of purported mob connections.
He and his brother, Albert Manzo, were born to Albert “Tiny” Manzo Sr., who was infamously known as one of the biggest “mob enforcers in New Jersey.”
In a brutal gangland-style execution in August 1983, Tiny Manzo’s 400-pound body was found in the trunk of his Lincoln Continental outside a supermarket in Hillside, NJ.
He was naked, bound with plastic ties, and had four bullet holes in his body.
Authorities believed Tiny Manzo and Gambino family soldier Peter A. Campisi had allegedly skimmed money from a Mafia-connected casino on Staten Island, leading to his murder.
However, Albert Manzo Jr. has denied his father’s involvement with organized crime in the past, saying,
“My father was no gangster. He was a wonderful, hardworking man.”
Albert Manzo Jr.
Albert continued,
“He was never accused of anything else pertaining to being a gangster. The shame of it is that our family were the victims of a murder which was never solved, and it was spun as a mob hit.”
Albert Manzo Jr.
But, a longtime criminal defense attorney familiar with the case acknowledged that it is possible, and with the recent verdict, the Manzo family’s alleged mob ties have come to light.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Thomas Manzo, 59, was born in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
- In October 2012, he and his ex-wife separated, and in February 2016, their divorce was finalized.
- Although Manzo’s father is well-known, his mother’s name remains a mystery.
