Anand Shah pleaded guilty to racketeering, money laundering and official misconduct in a case tied to a Lucchese crime-family gambling network. The state will recommend 10 years in prison, but the judge will impose the sentence.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – A Prospect Park councilman admitted in Morris County Superior Court that he helped run an illegal sportsbook and poker operation, laundered its proceeds and caused some of the money to be directed to his council campaign.
Anand U. Shah, 44, pleaded guilty Aug. 28 to first-degree racketeering, first-degree money laundering and second-degree official misconduct before Superior Court Judge Ralph E. Amirata, according to an announcement from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
“Public officials have a special duty to ensure that they follow the law,” said Attorney General Davenport. “The defendant not only broke the law, but he then used criminal proceeds to fund his political campaign. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that no one is above the law.”
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a 10-year state-prison sentence with 85 percent to be served before parole eligibility. Shah also must forfeit his council seat and is permanently barred from holding public office. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4. The recommendation is not the sentence; Amirata will decide the final penalty.
At the plea hearing, Shah admitted that he acted as a sportsbook agent and poker manager and participated in gambling and money-laundering activity across Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties. He said he had subagents working under him and managed financial transactions for the operation.
Shah also admitted that people who owed him gambling debts made donations to his campaign instead of repaying him directly, after which he forgave their balances. Other portions of criminal proceeds were directed to the campaign, the state said.
The criminal proceeds directly attributable to Shah totaled $900,084 from January 2017 through August 2023, according to the Attorney General’s Office. That figure covers the proceeds attributed to his role in the operation. The state did not say all $900,084 went into his campaign.
One plea in a much larger case
Shah is among 42 people indicted since April 2025 following a two-year investigation into illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion and money laundering tied to the Lucchese crime family. The state said investigators identified $4.79 million in suspected criminal proceeds across the broader enterprise.
Between October 2025 and August 2026, 38 other defendants pleaded guilty in connection with the gambling operation, according to the state. Charges remain pending against two defendants, who are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The New Jersey State Police led the investigation, with support from federal and state agencies. Deputy Attorney General Heather Hausleben is prosecuting the case for the Division of Criminal Justice.
The guilty plea converts the central allegations against Shah into admissions made in court. It also creates a direct consequence for Prospect Park residents: the plea agreement requires him to leave the council and prevents him from returning to public office. The borough will be responsible for handling the resulting vacancy under state and local law.