Indian-origin US politician charged in $3 million illegal gambling ring
In a major crackdown on illegal gambling operations, Anand Shah, a New Jersey councilman of Indian-origin, has been charged with involvement in a gambling and money laundering racket.
According to the office of Matthew Platkin, Attorney General of New Jersey, Anand Shah is one of the 39 people charged with racketeering, gambling, money laundering, and association with the Lucchese Crime Family, an Italian American mafia group. The operation generated more than $3 million in unlawful proceeds.
Details of the illegal gambling operation
Shah and 38 others face a laundry list of offences, including first-degree racketeering, conspiracy to promote gambling, and money laundering. Among the group are alleged mafia figures and facilitators from various states, all part of a sophisticated web of illegal gaming operations stretching far beyond New Jersey.
Anand Shah is accused of having a managerial role in organising underground poker games and monitoring bettors through an unlicensed online sportsbook. The operation involved structured clubs, professional dealers, hosts, and online betting interfaces. It was constructed like a business, but one that existed in the shadows.
“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,” read the statement from Platkin’s office.
Role of the Lucchese family
The Lucchese Crime Family is no stranger to the law. One of the notorious Five Families of the Italian American Mafia, the Lucchese has a long history of running rackets across New York and New Jersey. In this case, four members — George Zappola, Joseph Perna, John Perna, and Wayne Cross — are suspected of being key players. They face charges for managing the gambling network and laundering millions in illegal money.
2 years of investigation before raid
A two-year investigation uncovered over $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds from a gambling ring, concealed through multiple shell corporations and businesses. On April 9, law enforcement searched 12 locations, including four poker clubs, a business in Paterson, and seven residences, all linked to illegal poker games and gambling machines.
Shah was not the only Indian-origin person to be named. Samir S. Nadkarni, a 48-year-old from Florida, was also charged. Although information regarding his exact role is still surfacing, he is believed to have been involved in the unlawful gambling operations and possibly connected through gambling networks.
Reaction from authorities
Attorney General Platkin didn’t mince words. He highlighted the “non-romantic” reality of organised crime and how it ultimately exploits people for money and control.
He stated, “Romanticised versions of organised crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows, often set right here in the Garden State. 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 Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, echoed the seriousness, stating that these criminal enterprises “value profit over people.”
Callahan expressed, “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. 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.”
