AG Platkin Announces Charges Against 39 Defendants – Including Members and Associates of the Lucchese Crime Family – for Racketeering, Gambling, Money Laundering, and Other Offenses

Chart of Defendants | Locations Map

TRENTON — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) today announced that 39 people – including a Prospect Park councilman and members of the Lucchese Crime Family – have been charged with racketeering, gambling offenses, money laundering, and other crimes, after law enforcement executed search warrants at 12 locations throughout North Jersey earlier this week.

Following a two-year investigation into illegal gambling activities tied to the Lucchese Crime Family, searches were conducted on April 9, 2025, on four poker clubs located in Totowa, Garfield, and Woodland Park, including two clubs where backroom poker games were hidden behind functioning restaurants; a business in Paterson storing gambling machines; and seven residences of individuals alleged to be managing the gambling activities.

A Prospect Park council member and local business owner – Anand Shah, 42, of Prospect Park, New Jersey – was identified as allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese Crime Family. The investigation uncovered additional poker clubs, the involvement of dozens of individuals alleged to have hosted poker games and worked at the poker clubs, and managed bettors on an illegal online sportsbook.

The upper management of the gambling enterprise allegedly oversaw the gambling activities and received a portion of the criminal proceeds. The investigation resulted in the identification of more than $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds. Members of the criminal enterprise used multiple shell corporations and functioning businesses to conceal their illegal gambling proceeds.

The high-level managers of the criminal enterprise who were charged, many of whom are allegedly members of the Lucchese Crime Family, include George Zappola, 65, of Red Bank, New Jersey; Joseph R. “Big Joe” Perna, 56, of Belleville, New Jersey; John Perna, 47, of Little Falls, New Jersey; and Wayne Cross, 75, of Spring Lake, New Jersey. They are charged with first-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy to promote gambling and money laundering, among other crimes.

“Romanticized versions of organized crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows, often set right here in the Garden State,” said Attorney General Platkin. “But the reality isn’t romantic or cinematic. It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow and, ultimately, it’s about money, control, and the threat of violence. My office is bringing every resource available to crack down on violent criminals – including organized crime – and will root it out in all of its forms. And that is exactly what we have done.”

“In the complaint we’re announcing today, we allege that members and associates of the Lucchese Crime Family operated illegal card games and sports betting books in northern New Jersey,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “This can lead to other criminal activity, such as money laundering and theft. Two of the defendants are charged with stealing from local retailers in addition to their roles in the gambling operation. These are not so-called ‘victimless’ crimes, and we take seriously our responsibility to root out these illegal enterprises.”

“Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities, driving illegal gambling, money laundering, and racketeering operations that value profit over people,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Thanks to our detectives’ tireless work and unwavering commitment, this operation was successfully dismantled — sending a strong message that we will not tolerate this kind of criminal activity in New Jersey.”

According to the complaint, the gambling operations included social clubs that housed live poker games and gambling machines, as well as an extensive online sportsbook operated through several websites based outside of the United States. Each poker club was operated by high-level managers that delegated day-to-day operations to managers who were present during poker games.

Managers collected monetary dues, called “rent,” from poker hosts for permitting the games to occur and oversaw employees who worked in the clubs. Poker hosts were responsible for recruiting their own players, supplying food and drink for the games, and financially staking the game. The host, commonly known as the “house,” made a profit off the games because the dealer took a percentage of the monies bet by the players as a profit for the house for each hand played (a “rake”). The dealers were either paid by the hosts or were working off prior gambling debts owed to the hosts of the game. The clubs also housed gambling machines that players could use while waiting for a seat at a live poker game.

The online sportsbook was operated by “agents” — who, before the advent of computerized betting, would have been known as “bookies” – that created accounts on sports gambling websites based in foreign countries. These agents managed “packages” – groups of individual bettors. Sub-agents and agents were responsible for the gambling winnings and losses of bettors in their packages and kicked up a portion of the criminal proceeds to the high-level management of the enterprise.

As alleged, the high-level management made operational decisions, settled disputes, and used threats to collect overdue debts. The enterprise also used websites to facilitate illegal online sports betting. The websites, through the individuals that owned, operated, and controlled them, were one part of this criminal enterprise controlling illegal gambling activities in northern New Jersey and other areas. The websites allowed traditional organized crime members and associates to use the internet and current technology to engage in the same criminal acts that traditional organized crime has engaged in since the 19th century.

The following charged defendants are alleged to have the below listed positions in the criminal enterprise:

• George J. Zappola, 65, of Red Bank, New Jersey, Lucchese ruling panel
• Joseph R. Perna, 56, of Belleville, New Jersey, Lucchese captain
• John G. Perna, 47, of Little Falls, New Jersey, Lucchese soldier
• Wayne D. Cross, 75, of Spring Lake, New Jersey, Lucchese soldier
• Michael P. Frasso, 48, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, sportsbook agent
• Gerard V. Frasso, 46, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, sportsbook agent
• Anand U. Shah, 42, of Prospect Park, New Jersey, sportsbook agent/poker manager
• Roberto Aliano, 45, of Wayne, New Jersey, poker-club manager
• Frank Gallipoli III, 57, of Totowa, New Jersey, poker-club manager
• Frank Imparato, 46, of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, poker-club manager
• Mario Capalbo, 71, of Woodland Park, New Jersey, poker-club manager and gambling-machine supplier
• Ralph P. Gibilisco, 65, of East Hanover, New Jersey, poker-club manager
• Linda Gibilisco, 60, of East Hanover, New Jersey, poker-club employee
• John T. Capone, 60, of Belleville, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Issa Sebahie, 50, of Edgewater, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent/poker host and dealer
• Michael A. Khoury, 33, of Edgewater, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Robert M. Filippini, 54, of Wayne, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Jahed Ali, 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent/poker dealer and promoter
• Christopher M. Trimble, 52, of Lincroft (Middletown Township), New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Stephen D. Prince, 64, of Wayne, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Steven Bongo, 65, of West Caldwell, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Steven M. Romano, 43, of Lincoln Park, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Richard J. Belle, 39, of Wayne, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Roberto Roman Jr., 47, of Basking Ridge (Bernards Township), New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Samuel R. Shirak, 33, of North Haledon, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Louis D’Alessandro, 63, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Joseph J. Gossweiler, 41, of Florham Park, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent/poker-club manager
• James A. Romano, 37, of Island Heights, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent
• Mohamed H. Nassar, 38, of West New York, New Jersey, poker host
• Ramze Hassan, 47, of Totowa, New Jersey, poker-club employee
• Giovanni G. Gallipoli, 27, of Totowa, New Jersey, poker-club employee
• Jose D. Hernandez, 50, of Totowa, New Jersey, poker-club employee
• Samir S. Nadkarni, 48, of Longwood, Florida, sportsbook sub-agent/poker host
• Naser M. Matari, 56, of Paterson, New Jersey, poker host
• Michael J. Ricciardi, 38, of Brandon, Florida, sportsbook sub-agent/poker host
• Joan E. Santana-Suarez, 42, of Dover, New Jersey, sportsbook sub-agent/poker host
• Justin Kim, 51, of Haworth, New Jersey, poker host
• Jamil Sadullayev, 46 of Montvale, New Jersey, money launderer

All the defendants have been charged with racketeering (1st degree), conspiracy to promote gambling and money laundering (2nd degree), while certain defendants have additionally been charged with money laundering (1st degree), criminal usury (2nd degree), gambling offenses (3rd and 4th degree), and other offenses.

 

The investigation also revealed that Ali Radwan, 53, of Woodland Park, New Jersey, allegedly engaged in a continuous series of retail thefts with Frank Gallipoli III, 57, of Totowa, New Jersey. Radwan and Gallipoli were charged with theft by unlawful taking (3rd degree) for thefts at various locations, most regularly Home Depot, where they allegedly shoplifted home improvement items needed for renovations on “flip” properties purchased by Gallipoli, alleged to be a method to launder and invest his criminal proceeds. Home Depot representatives have confirmed at least $22,000 in merchandise was taken without payment by Gallipoli and Radwan.

The defendants were making their initial court appearances in state Superior Court in Morris County on Thursday, April 10.

The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

First-degree charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree offenses could lead to up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Deputy Attorneys General Heather Hausleben and William Cooper-Daub are prosecuting the case for DCJ, under the supervision of Assistant Attorney General Erik Daab. The case was investigated by Detective Sergeant Michael Gallant, under the supervision of Lt. David Lysek and Lt. Scott Sanders of the New Jersey State Police. Attorney General Platkin thanked the New Jersey State Police, FBI New Jersey – Newark and Red Bank, FBI New York City, the U,S. Marshals, Federal Probation, and the Department of Corrections Special Operations Group for their valuable contributions to the investigation.

If you or someone you know struggles with a gambling addiction, help is available by calling 1-800-GAMBLER. If you gamble, stick to trusted sites approved by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. Lists of legal operators of Internet Gaming Sites and Sports Wagering Sites and other responsible gaming resources are available on the DGE website.

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Defense counsel:
For Wayne Cross: Edmund DeNoia, Esq.
For Gerard Frasso: Robert Rowbotham II, Esq.
For Michael Frasso: Matthew Troiano, Esq.
For Joseph Gossweiler: Chad Seigel, Esq.
For Frank Imparato: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.
For Michael Khoury: Steven Wukovits, Esq.
For Mohammed Nassar: Aedan Neary, Esq.
For John Perna: Stacy Biancamano, Esq.
For Joan Santana-Suarez: Robert Warmington, Esq.
For Christopher Trimble: Meghan Doyle, Esq.
For George Zappola: Marco Laracca, Esq.
For all others: TBD

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