RHONJ's Dina Manzo's Ex-Husband Sentenced for Hiring 'Mobster' to Attack Her Boyfriend

In a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of New Jersey on Tuesday U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that The Real Housewives of New Jersey alum's ex was sentenced to 84 months in prison for "hiring, then assisting, a soldier in the Lucchese Crime Family to assault" Dina's now-husband, David Cantin, in 2015.

Per the press release, Thomas was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and "ordered him immediately remanded."

Thomas was convicted by a jury on June 4 after a two-and-a-half week trial at Newark, New Jersey federal court. 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.

In the press release, Sellinger is quoted telling Thomas during the trial, "Whether you're actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent."

He continued, "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 June, the Associated Press reported that Thomas had hired someone -- later revealed to be John Perna -- to attack Dina's then-boyfriend, Cantin, on July 18, 2015, in exchange for a "free, lavish wedding reception."

The outlet also reported that federal prosecutors described Perna, the Lucchese Crime Family soldier, as a "mobster," claiming that Perna's wedding reception was held in August 2015 at The Brown Stone catering hall in Paterson, New Jersey -- a venue owned by Thomas and and Dina's brother-in-law, Albert Manzo, the husband of fellow RHONJ alum, Caroline Manzo.

Perna was convicted after pleading guilty in 2020 to committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. He was released from prison in 2023.

At the time, ABC News reported at the time that court records showed Thomas had been "upset" about his ex-wife's new relationship and wanted the attack to "leave a permanent facial scar."

Dina, who married Cantin in 2017, appeared to react to the news of Thomas' sentencing on Tuesday, taking to her Instagram Stories with the message: "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."

The former reality star has not appeared on RHONJ since 2014, and most recently left New Jersey, re-locating to Montecito, California with Cantin in June 2023.