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Ex-N.J. Diner Manager Gets 8 Years For Murder-For-Hire Plot

PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - The former manager of a northern New Jersey diner has been sentenced to eight years in prison in what authorities say was a foiled plot to kill the co-owner of the restaurant, who is his uncle by marriage.

Georgios Spyropoulos appeared before a judge Friday in Paterson. The Clifton resident had faced up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to commit murder.

Authorities have said an informant told them that Spyropoulos was searching for a hit man to torture and kill his boss, Alexandros Sgourdos. They said Spyropoulos believed Sgourdos was withholding profits and keeping a large amount of cash in a safe.

Sgourdos co-owns the Tick Tock diners in Clifton and Manhattan.

WCBS 880's Jim Smith spoke with customers at the diner who are shocked.

Ex-N.J. Diner Manager Gets 8 Years For Murder Plot

"Yeah, it is crazy," one customer said.

"Only in New Jersey," said another.

Authorities said Spyropoulos dished out $3,000 and was willing to pay $20,000 for his uncle to not only be killed, but for the would-be assassin to torture him until he gave up the combination to a safe that contains a large amount of money.

Court documents claim Spyropoulos gave a cop, who was pretending to be a hitman, a chrome-plated revolver wrapped in a dishtowel.

Those documents also indicate that Spyropoulos gave an informant a pastry box containing roach spray and insect traps — a disguise so the "hitman" could pretend to be an exterminator to gain entry to the posh home of the target, CBS 2's Tony Aiello reported.

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(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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