Anand Shah, an Indian-origin councilman in the U.S., is among 39 people charged with racketeering, money laundering, and other crimes for allegedly playing a role in an illegal gambling scheme that netted more than $3 million.
Shah, 42, a Prospect Park, New Jersey, council member and a local business owner, has been charged along with others for racketeering, gambling offences, money laundering, and other crimes after law enforcement executed search warrants at 12 locations throughout North Jersey earlier this week. He could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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The accused were allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese crime family, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Friday.

Among those charged is also Indian-origin Samir Nadkarni, 48, of Longwood, Florida, a sportsbook sub-agent/poker host.

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

The investigation uncovered the involvement of dozens of individuals who allegedly hosted poker games and worked at the poker clubs and managed bettors on an illegal online sportsbook.
The investigation resulted in the identification of more than $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds.

The officials uncovered that daily operations were handled by managers who would then report to their supervisors, and business fronts helped conceal the illegal gambling proceeds gained through the crimes via multiple shell companies and businesses.

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“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,” Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan said.

Each poker club was operated by high-level managers who delegated day-to-day operations to managers who were present during poker games.
The online sportsbook was operated by “agents” who created accounts on sports gambling websites based in foreign countries.

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The high-level management took decisions, settled disputes, and used threats to collect overdue debts.
“The websites allowed traditional organised crime members and associates to use the internet and current technology to engage in the same criminal acts that traditional organised crime has engaged in since the 19th century,” the statement said.