NJ ‘Made Man’ Pleads Guilty, Attacked ‘Real Housewives’ Husband – Patch.com

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A “soldier” in the Lucchese Crime Family admitted that he planned and carried out an aggravated assault on the current husband of one of the former stars of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced Wednesday.

John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove, pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment pending against him, which charged him with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity.

The indictment also charged Thomas Manzo, 55, of Franklin Lakes, although the charges against him remain accusations, prosecutors said.

“In the spring of 2015, Manzo, one of the owners of the Brownstone Restaurant in Paterson and the ex-husband of the Bravo star, hired Perna to assault his ex-wife’s new boyfriend (now husband) in exchange for a deeply discounted wedding reception to be held at Manzo’s upscale Passaic County venue. Perna, who is a ‘made man’ in the Lucchese Crime Family, planned and carried out the assault on July 18, 2015, with the help of a member of his crew. Perna was armed with a ‘slapjack’ during the assault. In exchange for committing the assault, Perna held a lavish wedding reception at Manzo’s restaurant, just one month later, for a fraction of the price he would otherwise have paid. The reception was attended by over 330 guests, many of whom were members of the Lucchese Crime Family.”

The violent crime in aid of racketeering activity count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2021, prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of special agent in charge George Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to Wednesday’s guilty plea.

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