New York, April 16: An Indian-origin local politician in New Jersey is among 39 individuals charged in a sprawling investigation into an illegal gambling and money laundering operation allegedly tied to the Lucchese Crime Family, officials said on Tuesday.
Anand Shah, a council member of Prospect Park, New Jersey, and a local business owner, was charged with racketeering and related offenses for allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with members of the notorious Italian-American mafia group.
According to the office of New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, the charges stem from a two-year probe that uncovered more than $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds, funneled through shell corporations and operating businesses.
“The investigation uncovered additional poker clubs, the involvement of dozens of individuals alleged to have hosted poker games and worked at the poker clubs, and managed bettors on an illegal online sportsbook,” Platkin said in a statement.
Another Indian-origin man, Samir S Nadkarni, 48, from Florida, was also charged in the same case, which involved coordinated raids on 12 locations on April 9. These included four poker clubs, a business in Paterson, New Jersey, and seven residences believed to be connected to the illicit activities.
Among those charged are four alleged members of the Lucchese Crime Family: George Zappola, Joseph Perna, John Perna, and Wayne Cross. Each faces first-degree racketeering charges and second-degree counts of conspiracy, illegal gambling, and money laundering.
“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.”
Colonel Patrick J Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, emphasized the risks such operations pose to the public.
“Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities, driving illegal gambling, money laundering, and racketeering operations that value profit over people,” Callahan said. “Thanks to our detectives’ tireless work and unwavering commitment, this operation was successfully dismantled — sending a strong message that we will not tolerate this kind of criminal activity in New Jersey.”
