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In a sweeping crackdown on illegal gambling operations in US, a New Jersey councilman of Indian origin Anand Shah has been named among 39 individuals charged following a two-year investigation. The operation, authorities say, was tied to the Lucchese organized crime family and generated more than $3 million in unlawful proceeds.
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin announced the charges on Friday, identifying Shah—a councilmember in Prospect Park—and George Zappola, a senior member of the notorious Lucchese crime family, as central figures in the probe.
“Organized crime in 2025 may look different than it did 50 years ago,” Platkin was quoted saying by NYT during a press briefing, “especially thanks to the online component, and some of the language may have changed, but it’s the same old story: criminals motivated by greed and power who think they are above the law.”
Shah is said to have played a key managerial role in overseeing illicit poker games and managing an online sportsbook. According to law enforcement officials, his political position was not implicated in the charges, but his alleged involvement in illegal activities has nonetheless cast a shadow over his public office.
The investigation uncovered four illegal poker establishments in Totowa, Garfield, Woodland Park, and Paterson. The Paterson location reportedly housed gambling equipment, including poker tables and slot-style machines.
Authorities say the operation relied on a network of front businesses to conceal gambling profits and maintain a façade of legitimacy. Supervisors assigned by senior operators collected fees from poker hosts and monitored the games, while also managing club staff.
“Romanticized versions of organized crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows, often set right here in the Garden State,” Platkin remarked. “But the reality isn’t romantic or cinematic. It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow.”
Col. Pat Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, emphasized the scale of the operation, which involved cooperation between state and federal agencies. “Everyone’s got to be held accountable who thinks they are above the law,” he said.
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