Brownstone owner says Paterson councilman didn't pay his wedding bill

PATERSON — Councilman Luis Velez faces a theft of services complaint for allegedly not paying for his wedding last August at The Brownstone banquet hall.

The Brownstone co-owner Albert Manzo filed the complaint against Velez in Paterson municipal court on Monday. He said he thought it was “sad” that an elected official who is supposed to protect the public would renege on his bill.

“This is about truth and honesty,” Manzo said of his accusations against Velez.

Velez on Monday told Paterson Press he had paid The Brownstone the $15,000 fee he had agreed upon with Manzo’s brother, Thomas. But the councilman said Albert Manzo instead was charging him $19,000 for the event, adding that The Brownstone did not give him the service he had been promised.

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“They did not provide the right venue,” Velez said. “It wasn’t the service I paid for.”

Albert Manzo acknowledged that his brother Thomas agreed to charge Velez $15,000 for a wedding with 200 guests, which he described as “an extraordinary, wonderful price” akin to a friends and family discount. But Albert Manzo said Velez ended up with 270 guests at his wedding and had to be charged extra under the “per person” price.

“What I take offense at is him saying he didn’t get good service,” Manzo said. “Everything was amazing. He loved everything, until he had to pay.”

Thomas Manzo found guilty for role in RHONJ ex-wife's assault

Thomas Manzo, The Brownstone's other co-owner, was found guilty in June for his role in the assault of his ex-wife's new husband.

The Franklin Lakes resident had been on trial for directing an alleged mafia member to assault the then boyfriend of his former wife , "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Dina Cantin.

More: So Jersey: Mobster attacked RHONJ boyfriend in exchange for discounted party at Brownstone

In return for carrying out the attack, the suspected mob member, John Perna, was given a deeply discounted wedding reception at The Brownstone in 2015 . Perna pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 months in prison . He was released in August 2023, according to federal records.

Albert Manzo said Velez still owes $6,000 for the wedding

Albert Manzo said Velez still owes about $6,000 for his wedding, an unpaid tab that has lingered for almost a year. Manzo and Velez both said the two of them set up a monthly payment plan about five months ago. Manzo said Velez has made just one payment in that time. Velez said he has made two payments.

Manzo said The Brownstone hosts more than 300 parties per year. In just a handful of cases does The Brownstone have to file theft of services charges for unpaid bills, he said.

Velez — who won reelection in May — was upset that someone tipped off Paterson Press about the complaint that Manzo filed.

“Whoever sent you this should mind their own business,” the councilman said.

When Velez proposed to Natacha Batista in 2023, he used a Paterson firetruck as a prop. A video Velez posted on Facebook showed Batista standing on the sidewalk when the firetruck pulled up. Wearing a fire department helmet and jacket, Velez hopped off the truck, approached Batista, and got down on his knee and proposed to her.

About two months before the wedding, the city hired Batista for a $35,000 keyboarding clerk’s job. Velez is paid $47,395 as a city council member.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Brownstone owner says Paterson councilman didn't pay his wedding bill