Dino Guilmette is a Rhode Island businessman and former amateur boxer whose private life became increasingly public through his relationship with Shayanna Jenkins and, more recently, his connection to The Real Housewives of Rhode Island. But behind the television appearances is a more complicated story involving business, family, boxing, and an unresolved criminal case.
Who Is Dino Guilmette?
Dino Guilmette is a Rhode Island-based businessman who has also been involved in amateur boxing. According to reporting from TV Insider, his LinkedIn profile describes him as self-employed in Cranston, Rhode Island, and lists an MBA in finance from the University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein Providence campus.
Guilmette was not originally a national celebrity. Much of his earlier life was connected to Rhode Island business and local boxing rather than television or entertainment.
That changed when his relationship with Shayanna Jenkins brought him into the orbit of one of the most closely followed stories surrounding former NFL player Aaron Hernandez.
His Boxing Background
Boxing is one of the clearest parts of Guilmette’s public background.
He trained in Rhode Island gyms for years and competed as an amateur. Importantly, he should not be described as a professional boxer. TV Insider reported that Guilmette never fought an actual professional boxing match, although he remained involved in the local boxing scene.
One documented event came in 2017, when Guilmette faced former professional baseball player Louis Savastano in the ring. His boxing career therefore appears to have been a serious athletic pursuit, but not one that developed into a conventional professional career.
His professional interests also extended beyond sports. Publicly available Rhode Island business records show Guilmette connected to D’Mici Industries LLC, a company organized in 2012. The state record lists him as the resident agent.
The Connection to Shayanna Jenkins
Guilmette became much better known after he began a relationship with Shayanna Jenkins, who had previously been engaged to Aaron Hernandez.
In 2018, TMZ reported that Jenkins had given birth to a baby girl and identified Guilmette as the child’s father. The baby, Giselle, was born in Rhode Island in June 2018.
The relationship attracted attention because of Jenkins’s history with Hernandez. However, Guilmette is not related to Hernandez. The connection between the two men is primarily through Jenkins and their broader Rhode Island and football connections.
Some online biographies have claimed that Guilmette and Hernandez were teammates or closely connected through the University of Florida. Those claims should be treated cautiously because the available reporting is not consistent enough to establish every detail of their college history.
What is firmly documented is that Guilmette became the father of Jenkins’s second daughter and subsequently became part of a blended family that includes Jenkins’s daughter from her relationship with Hernandez.
Why Aaron Hernandez Remains Part of the Story
The Hernandez connection is one reason Guilmette continues to attract public curiosity.
Jenkins was Hernandez’s former fiancée and the mother of his daughter, Avielle. After Hernandez’s death in 2017, Jenkins eventually moved forward with her life and later had a child with Guilmette.
That history means searches for Dino Guilmette often lead back to Hernandez. But it is important not to confuse association with direct involvement. There is no reliable evidence that Guilmette was responsible for or involved in Hernandez’s criminal conduct or death.
His public identity developed separately, even though the relationship with Jenkins placed him inside a story that had already attracted enormous attention.
From Private Life to The Real Housewives of Rhode Island
In 2026, another chapter began when Guilmette appeared around Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.
His connection to cast member Liz McGraw became a major point of interest. TV Insider reported that Guilmette and McGraw had a longstanding friendship, while Bravo’s own Watch What Happens Live coverage discussed their relationship and McGraw’s revelation that Guilmette had previously dated Kelsey Swanson.
That television exposure changed the scale of attention surrounding him. A man who had largely existed outside mainstream celebrity culture suddenly became part of a reality-TV storyline.
What About the Rumors Involving Liz McGraw?
This is where separating fact from speculation becomes particularly important.
Guilmette and Liz McGraw have been publicly described as close friends. Their relationship generated speculation about whether there was something more between them. McGraw has rejected the suggestion that they had a romantic affair.
There is currently no reliable public evidence establishing that Guilmette and McGraw were romantically involved.
The fact that they spent time together, attended social events, or communicated frequently does not by itself prove an affair. Any stronger claim would go beyond what has been publicly verified.
Bravo’s own coverage also confirms that McGraw discussed her friendship with Guilmette and his past relationship with Kelsey Swanson.
The Criminal Case That Changed the Conversation
The most serious issue surrounding Guilmette is not reality television. It is his unresolved criminal case in Rhode Island.
According to Rhode Island court records and reporting based on State Police documents, Guilmette faces seven felony charges and one misdemeanor arising from allegations investigated by Rhode Island authorities. The allegations include drug-related conduct, conspiracy and alleged fraud involving pandemic-era rent-relief funds.
These are allegations, not convictions.
The case was filed in 2022 and continued through 2026. In June 2026, Guilmette rejected a plea offer that would have involved pleading guilty to two counts related to Lorazepam delivery and receiving probation rather than incarceration, according to WPRI reporting published through the Providence Journal network. His attorney said Guilmette maintained his innocence.
The Rhode Island Judiciary’s July 28, 2026 hearing schedule also listed State of Rhode Island v. Dino Guilmette, showing that the case remained active at that point. The listed proceeding concerned a motion for disclosure, not a verdict.
That distinction matters. A pending criminal case cannot be treated as proof that the accused committed the alleged offenses.
What Is Known About His Finances?
Guilmette’s business background is another area where online claims should be approached carefully.
Numerous websites publish specific net-worth figures for him, but there is no reliable public financial disclosure establishing a precise personal fortune. His known business activity and corporate records provide evidence of entrepreneurship, but they do not establish how much money he currently has.
For that reason, claims that Dino Guilmette is worth a specific multi-million-dollar amount should not be presented as fact without stronger documentation.
The more defensible description is that he has a background in Rhode Island business and entrepreneurship, with public records confirming at least some corporate involvement.
Where Does Dino Guilmette Stand Today?
As of 2026, Guilmette’s public profile rests on several different pieces of his life: amateur boxing, business, his family connection to Shayanna Jenkins, his appearance around The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, and an unresolved criminal case.
His relationship with Jenkins has remained relatively private. Public reporting has identified them as partners and confirmed that they share daughter Giselle, but claims about their precise current marital status should not be overstated.
Meanwhile, the legal case remains the most important unresolved part of his story. A July 2026 court schedule confirms that proceedings were still continuing.
The Bottom Line
So, who is Dino Guilmette?
He is a Rhode Island businessman and former amateur boxer whose public profile grew through his relationship with Shayanna Jenkins and later through The Real Housewives of Rhode Island. His connection to Aaron Hernandez comes through Jenkins and their daughter, not through any family relationship.
At the same time, Guilmette faces serious criminal allegations that remain unresolved. He rejected a plea agreement in June 2026 and has maintained his innocence through his attorney.
The safest conclusion is therefore straightforward: Dino Guilmette’s story contains several documented chapters, but some of the most dramatic claims surrounding him remain allegations or speculation. Until the court case reaches a final resolution, readers should not treat accusations as established facts.
