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Indian American politician charged in NJ gambling case
Anand Shah was charged alongside 38 others following a two-year investigation led by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
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Staff Reporter
- Sat, 12, Apr 2025
- 16:28 EDT
- 510
Anand Shah / Instagram
An Indian American politician in New Jersey has been charged with racketeering and gambling offenses as part of a major crackdown on illegal gambling operations tied to organized crime.
Anand Shah, 42, a local business owner and sitting member of the Prospect Park Borough Council in New Jersey, was charged alongside 38 others following a two-year investigation led by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
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Authorities allege that Shah managed illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in coordination with the Lucchese organized crime family, generating over $3 million in unlawful proceeds.
The investigation, conducted by the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), led to search warrants at 12 locations across northern New Jersey earlier this week. These included four poker clubs, multiple residences, and a business facility suspected of housing illegal gambling machines.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, addressing the media, described the operation as a “criminal network that utilized technology and traditional tactics to fuel illegal gambling and launder proceeds through shell corporations and functioning businesses.”
“Romanticized versions of organized crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows, often set right here in the Garden State,” Platkin said. “But the reality isn’t romantic or cinematic. It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow and, ultimately, it’s about money, control, and the threat of violence.”
According to the complaint, gambling activities took place at social clubs posing as legitimate businesses. Hosts allegedly organized games and collected a “rake” — a cut of the bets — while agents managed betting packages through foreign-based websites. Shah is named as both a poker club manager and sportsbook agent, overseeing on-ground and digital betting operations.
Among the top-level individuals charged are alleged Lucchese crime family members George Zappola of Red Bank, Joseph R. “Big Joe” Perna of Belleville, John Perna of Little Falls, and Wayne Cross of Spring Lake. They face first-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy charges, among others.
DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton said such enterprises are often linked to money laundering and theft. Two defendants were also charged with repeated shoplifting from Home Depot to support property renovations.
“Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Thanks to our detectives’ tireless work and unwavering commitment, this operation was successfully dismantled.”
All 39 individuals face charges including first-degree racketeering, second-degree conspiracy to promote gambling and money laundering, as well as additional counts such as criminal usury, theft, and operating gambling establishments. The investigation is ongoing.
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