An Indian-origin municipal councillor Anand Shah has been charged in connection with a sprawling mafia-run gambling network in New Jersey. Shah, 42, serving his second term as a municipal councillor in Prospect Park, was among 39 individuals charged with racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering, and related offenses, according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
Authorities conducted raids across 12 locations, including four underground poker clubs, unveiling a $3 million illegal gambling operation allegedly linked to the notorious Lucchese Crime Family — a powerful Italian-American mafia group known for its organized crime activities.
ALSO READ: Call for Cyber Experts: Join FCRF Academy as Trainers and Course Creators
Shah, who oversaw finance and economic development in his municipality, is accused of managing illegal poker games and running an online sportsbook in partnership with the crime syndicate.
Another Indian-origin individual, 48-year-old Samir S Nadkarni from Florida, was also charged and identified as a “sportsbook sub-agent and poker host.”
Platkin emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “The arrest of a sitting council member only adds fuel to the fire of public distrust in elected officials.” He warned that while mob culture may be glamorized in pop culture, in reality, it thrives on lawlessness, coercion, and violence.
ALSO READ: Now Open: Pan-India Registration for Fraud Investigators!
Officials revealed that the gambling operations were cleverly masked behind social clubs and legitimate establishments such as restaurants, with illegal betting machines also in use.
The arrests mark a significant crackdown on organized crime and raise alarming questions about the infiltration of public office by criminal networks.