Lexie Ioannou, daughter of The Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Dina Cantin, has stayed off reality TV in recent years. All grown up now, Ioannou has a life and business of her own in Los Angeles, but she remains bothered by her experience with her stepfather, Tommy Manzo, and the way her mother was treated by their extended family back in New Jersey. She recently revealed some of Tommy Manzo’s unusual behavior.

Dina Cantin’s daughter, Lexie Ioannou, talks about growing up with Tommy Manzo

Lexie Ioannou has recently opened up about her unsettling experiences with her former stepfather, Tommy Manzo. In a candid interview on Gia Giudice’s podcast Casual Chaos, the shoe designer described her relationship with Manzo as “very uncomfortable.” She admitted that she felt pressured into interacting with her former stepfather, but never found the relationship to be relaxed or natural.

Ioannou, who only appeared in the earlier seasons of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, told Giudice that her stepfather, while never inappropriate, was more affectionate towards her than her biological parents. She said Manzo kept her bedroom as a shrine following the split. Still, he refused to return her childhood keepsakes. Instead, he sold them at a garage sale.

Ioannou went on to reveal that Manzo continued to call her during his separation and divorce from her mother. He even tried to get in touch with her in the weeks leading up to his criminal trial. He was on trial for hiring a member of an organized crime family to attack Dina Cantin and her new partner; there was no mention of the attack or trial on The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Lexi Ioannou confirms she is angry at her family

Lexie Ioannou didn’t hold back when discussing her odd experience with Tommy Manzo. She clearly and understandably has some pretty negative feelings about the man who was briefly her stepdad. Tommy Manzo isn’t the only member of her New Jersey family with whom she takes issue; Lexie Ioannou revealed that she’s also estranged from her aunt and cousins, and can’t forgive them for how they have behaved.

During her chat with Giudice, Ioannou admonished her aunt, Caroline Manzo, and cousin, Lauren Manzo, for refusing to help her get her belongings back from Tommy Manzo. Caroline, Cantin’s biological sister, is married to Albert Manzo, Tommy Manzo’s brother. She wrote a character letter in support of Tommy Manzo. She wasn’t the only one.

In 2015, following his separation from Dina, Manzo orchestrated an attack on her then-boyfriend, David Cantin. He enlisted John Perna to carry out the assault. Perna has ties to organized crime. In exchange, Manzo hosted Perna’s lavish wedding reception at The Brownstone, the catering hall he owned, for free. Both Dina and Dave Cantin were hurt in the attack.

Manzo was convicted in 2024 on charges including conspiracy, falsifying and concealing documents, and committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. According to AP News, he was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Manzo will adhere to three years of supervised release after his sentence is over. He is currently housed at FCI Allenwood, a medium-security federal prison in Pennsylvania.

Dina and Tommy Manzo married in 2007 and separated in 2012. They finalized their divorce in 2016. Lexie Iannou was 11 when her mother married Tommy Manzo. Manzo has no children.