PROSPECT PARK, N.J. (Diya TV) — Anand Shah, a two-term councilman and rising political figure in this small New Jersey borough, has been charged with racketeering, gambling offenses, money laundering, and other crimes in connection with a sprawling illegal gambling ring tied to the Lucchese organized crime family.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced the charges on Friday, describing the case as a major blow against modern organized crime. Shah, 42, was one of 39 people arrested following a two-year joint investigation by state and federal law enforcement. Authorities say the gambling ring generated more than $3 million in illicit profits through high-stakes poker games and an online sportsbook platform.
Shah, who oversees finance, economic development, and insurance for Prospect Park, allegedly managed illegal poker clubs and supervised sports betting operations on behalf of the Lucchese crime family — one of the most notorious Italian-American mafia organizations in the country. Platkin said the charges stemmed from coordinated raids at 12 locations across New Jersey, including four underground poker rooms in Totowa, Garfield, Woodland Park, and Paterson.
“Organized crime in 2025 may look different than it did 50 years ago,” Platkin said during a press conference, according to The New York Times. “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.”
The investigation revealed a sophisticated operation that concealed gambling profits through front businesses and used supervisors to collect fees, monitor games, and manage club staff, according to state officials. At the Paterson site, police reportedly found poker tables, slot-style machines, and other gambling equipment.
Shah, originally from Ahmedabad, India, built his personal fortune running a chain of pizza and sandwich franchises across New Jersey before entering local politics. His arrest shocked Prospect Park residents, especially given his public role managing the borough’s financial affairs.
“The arrest of a sitting council member only adds fuel to that fire” of public distrust in elected officials, Platkin said, as reported by NJ.com.
Another Indian American, Samir S. Nadkarni, 48, of Longwood, Florida, was also charged in the case. Authorities identified Nadkarni as a “sportsbook sub-agent” and poker host, operating under the same criminal network.
The Lucchese crime family, which has deep roots in the Northeast, was at the center of the operation, and George Zappola — a senior member of the Lucchese organization — was also named among the defendants. Investigators allege Zappola and his associates orchestrated the gambling network, overseeing both its day-to-day operations and its financial laundering.
Col. Pat Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, credited cooperation between state and federal agencies for the wide-ranging sweep. “Everyone’s got to be held accountable who thinks they are above the law,” Callahan said.
If convicted, Shah and his co-defendants face the possibility of 10 to 20 years in prison on the most serious charges.
“Romanticized versions of organized crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows, often set right here in the Garden State,” Platkin added. “But the reality isn’t romantic or cinematic. It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow.”
