The post Gov Murphy Joins Calls for NJ Politician’s Head After Lucchese Mob-Linked Gambling Bust appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
High-profile arrests
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has added his voice to rising calls for the resignation of Prospect Park Councilman Anand Shah after his arrest last week along with high-ranking Lucchese mobsters.
major gambling ring bust
Shah, 42, and the Lucchese members were among dozens the New Jersey State Police arrested in a major gambling ring bust announced Friday.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin took to X to share news that all those arrested are accused of operating illegal poker games and an online sportsbook:
Since Shah’s alleged links to the gambling network have surfaced, his position as a publicly elected figure seems untenable.
On Monday, a spokesperson cited Governor Phil Murphy’s statement that he believed it “would be in the community’s best interest for the councilman to resign, effective immediately.”
Crime family drama
Shah was among 37 people the NJSP arrested and 39 people charged in the bust. Following a two-year investigation, state troopers swooped on illegal operations in Woodland Park, Garfield, and Totowa netting $3m in illicit profits, AG Piatkin alleged.
In a release, the AG’s office singled Shah out for “allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese Crime Family.”
charges include money laundering, racketeering
Shah’s multiple charges include money laundering, racketeering, and conspiracy to promote gambling and he faces a maximum 20 years in prison.
The accused councilman is due in court Tuesday, where according to the New York Post, “prosecutors will be arguing for him to be kept in jail while his case plays out.”
Rather than wait for justice, a group of elected officials from Shah’s municipality want the politician to resign his council position and withdraw from the re-election race immediately. Councilman Robert Artis prefaced the group’s demands by describing Shah as having held important posts including Treasurer of the Board of Education, and Finance Committee Chairman.
Taint of suspicion
Artis’ concerns echo those of Gov. Murphy who questioned Shah’s “ability to effectively serve the Prospect Park community.”
“Continuing to serve in any official capacity under this cloud of suspicion damages the credibility of our governing body and erodes confidence in how we manage both municipal and school finances,” Artis stated.
AG Piatkin, meanwhile, warned that while popular fiction glamorized organized crime in New Jersey: “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.”
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