An Indian-origin politcian has been arrested in the US for alleged links with the Lucchese Crime Family and involvement in money laundering and gambling.
Who is Anand Shah?
Identified as Anand Shah, the New Jersey politician is among 39 people slapped with various charges, including gambling, money laundering and racketeering. At least 37 of the 39 people have been arrested.
If convicted, Shah could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. However, there is no official misconduct charges in connection with Shah's public office.
Chart of recent NJ gambling investigation involving sports betting operations and poker clubs
— Jeff Nadu (@JeffNadu) April 12, 2025
Zappola for years per my sources is the boss in waiting of the Lucchese Crime Family @Sitdowncrimepod pic.twitter.com/JZ4dOV8X2W
Shah is a municipal councillor of Prospect Park in New Jersey and looked after finance and economic development sectors. He was allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook where people bet on sports tournaments.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin said the arrest of a sitting council member raises question about the integrity of elected officials.
The recently busted gambling operation was worth $3 million and was concealed through shell companies. The authorities raided 12 premises, including four poker clubs and seven residences, in connection with the case on April 9. The key bases of the operation are said to be in Garfield, Totowa and Woodland Park. The case was part of a two-year probe.
While the top managers assigned operations to lower-level managers to run clubs and collect dues the hosts would hire their own players and provide them with money for bets. A percentage of the bets were kept by the hosts, as per reports.
The Lucchese Crime Family is one of the notorious Italian-American mafia gangs in the US. Four of the suspects arrested in the case are members of the Lucchese Crime Family. They were identified as George Zappola, Joseph Perna alias Big Joe, John Perna and Wayne Cross. All of them were charged with first-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy. Among these, Zappola, 65, is a member of the Lucchese ruling committee.
Platkin pointed out that organised crime has been romanticised in several movies and TV shows. "But the reality is not romantic or cinematic. It's about breaking the laws the rest of us follow," he added.
