Indian-Origin Municipal Councillor Anand Shah Charged in Mafia-Run Gambling Operation in US
Anand Shah, 42, was one of 39 people charged with âracketeering, gambling offences, money laundering, and other crimesâ, Platkin said on Friday. He said the charges were filed following raids at 12 locations in the state, including 4 poker clubs.
New York, April 12: An Indian-origin municipal councillor has been charged with participating in a mafia-run gambling operation, according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Anand Shah, 42, was one of 39 people charged with âracketeering, gambling offences, money laundering, and other crimesâ, Platkin said on Friday. He said the charges were filed following raids at 12 locations in the state, including 4 poker clubs.
Another person of Indian descent, Samir S Nadkarni, 48, from Longwood, Florida, was also among those charged and was described as a âsportsbook sub-agent/poker hostâ. Shah was a rising politician in New Jersey serving his second term as a municipal councillor in Prospect Park, a New York suburb, and was in charge of finance, economic development, and insurance. US: Indian-Origin Woman Saritha Ramaraju Charged With Slitting Sonâs Throat After Disneyland Vacation.
Platkin said, âThe arrest of a sitting council member only adds fuel to that fireâ of public distrust of elected officials. Shah âwas identified as allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese Crime Familyâ, according to Platkinâs office.
âLucchese Crime Familyâ is one of the dreaded Italian-American mafia groups in the US, which also works with people of other ethnicities. Sportsbook gambling involves betting on sports tournaments. According to officials, the gambling operation was a $3 million operation. Virginia Shocker: Indian-Origin Man Kills Wife, Googles âHow Long Does It Take to Get Married After Spouse Diesâ After Murder; Arrested.
Platkin said that while mob activity has been âromanticisedâ in movies and television, "the reality isnât romantic or cinematic. Itâs about breaking the laws the rest of us follow and, ultimately, itâs about money, control, and the threat of violenceâ.
Officials said that the gambling operations were run from social clubs or behind legitimate businesses like restaurants, and also included gambling machines.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2025 07:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
