A New Jersey politician has been completely barred from holding public workplace after he admitted to his function in an unlawful playing ring tied to the Lucchese crime household, the place he pocketed almost $1 million – a majority of which he used to fund his political marketing campaign.
Prospect Park Councilman Anand Shah pleaded responsible to racketeering, cash laundering, and official misconduct and faces as much as 10 years in jail for the scheme, New Jersey Legal professional Normal Jennifer Davenport introduced Friday.
Shah, 44, was a sportsbook agent and poker supervisor within the playing ring that operated throughout eating places within the Backyard State’s Morris, Passaic, and Bergen counties between January 2017 and August 2023.
The native politician, who served because the Finance & (Financial Improvement) Insurance coverage councilmember for the Borough of Prospect Park, hosted the unlawful poker rings, working with subagents and amassing “rakes” that profited him $900,084.
Shah admitted that he would forgive excellent balances to those that owed him cash in the event that they contributed to his marketing campaign fund.
“Public officers have a particular responsibility to make sure that they comply with the legislation,” Davenport stated. “The defendant not solely broke the legislation, however he then used prison proceeds to fund his political marketing campaign. Right now’s responsible plea demonstrates that nobody is above the legislation.”
The Lucchese household oversaw the poker video games earlier than officers charged 42 folks in reference to the backroom video games.
Police had raided 4 unlawful poker golf equipment linked to the household in April 2025, the place they uncovered extra areas linked to the ring.
The years-long investigation into the playing ring uncovered $4.79 million in suspected prison proceeds, the place mobsters would use shell companies and companies to cover the proceeds, Davenport’s workplace stated.
“Conventional organized crime stays an actual drawback in New Jersey,” stated NJ Division of Felony Justice Director Theresa L. Hilton stated. “Even with a wide range of authorized playing choices, unlawful playing rings run by organized crime proceed to function in backrooms and on-line. Regulation enforcement will proceed to dismantle these prison enterprises regardless of the place they function.”
Thirty-eight folks have already pleaded responsible for his or her roles within the playing investigation, with two others nonetheless going through prices.
Alleged Lucchese members of the family George Zappola, Joseph R. Perna, and John G. Perna have been high-level organizers within the playing ring and have pleaded responsible to racketeering in change for lighter jail sentence suggestions, officers stated.
Shah is awaiting a sentencing listening to the place prosecutors will suggest 10 years in state jail as a part of his plea deal.
The corrupt pol shall be pressured to forfeit his political workplace and shall be banned from ever holding public workplace once more.
Shah resigned Friday after his plea deal was made public, Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed T Khairullah introduced.
Shah had remained in workplace following his indictment again in April 2025 regardless of the mayor and different council members urging his resignation.
“When Mr. Shah was first charged in 2025, I joined my colleagues in calling for his resignation,” Khairullah stated. “On the similar time, we revered his proper to due course of and allowed the judicial course of to take its course.
The mayor’s workplace will look to fill Shah’s emptiness whereas nonetheless serving the borough.
“Prospect Park is larger than anybody particular person. We’ll transfer ahead collectively,” Khairullah stated.
Shah is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4.
