CLIFTON, N.J. — The former manager of a northern New Jersey diner pleaded guilty July 14th in what authorities say was a foiled plot to kill the co-owner of the restaurant, who is his uncle by marriage.

Georgios Spyropoulos, 46, of Clifton faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 19.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and signed a consent order that bars him from having any contact with the victim, the victim’s family or any of the family’s businesses.

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.

Spyropoulos was arrested in April 2013. He was indicted last November on attempted murder and other charges.

“Thanks to the New Jersey State Police, we have a guilty nephew going to prison, instead of an uncle in a shallow grave,” acting state Attorney General John Hoffman said.

“Had they not intervened, this murder plot appears likely to have been carried out, because Spyropoulos did everything in his power to set it in motion, including delivering a gun and a down payment to the man he hired to kill his uncle.”