The councilman who used poker to finance his campaign and ended up convicted for a betting network of the

Politics and underground poker intersected in the most unusual way in New Jersey. Anand Shah, 44, former councilman of the municipality of Prospect Park, pleaded guilty to having participated for years in an illegal betting organization linked to the Lucchese crime family, one of the historic structures of the American mafia.

But the case has an even more striking element: Shah used part of the money generated by illegal gambling to finance his political career and even forgave betting debts to players who, instead of paying him, made contributions to his campaign.

Shah pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering, money laundering, and misconduct in public office. As a result of the plea agreement, he had to resign from his position and was permanently disqualified from holding public office in New Jersey. Additionally, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for December 4.

From underground poker to politics

According to the investigation by New Jersey authorities, Shah was part of the structure between January 2017 and August 2023. During that period, he worked as a sports betting agent and administrator of illegal poker games, as well as managing a network of subagents.

He was also responsible for organizing and managing underground poker clubs, where the house took a percentage of the money bet on each hand, the traditional rake. Authorities determined that the criminal income directly attributable to Shah during those years reached US$900,084.

And part of that money ended up having an unexpected destination: his political campaign.

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Investigators established that some people who had gambling debts with Shah could avoid paying them if they made contributions to his campaign. In other words, a debt incurred by playing could be transformed into a political contribution and, in exchange, the balance was forgiven.

A US$4.79 million network

Shah’s case is part of a much larger investigation against a structure related to the Lucchese crime family, which operated in various parts of New Jersey.

In total, 42 people have been charged since the beginning of the investigation. Investigators identified approximately US$4.79 million in profits from criminal activities, which were hidden through shell companies and legitimate businesses.

The organization was not limited to poker. It also managed illegal sports betting and loans related to gambling, as well as other criminal activities.

According to investigators, the structure operated in different counties of New Jersey and used restaurants and other establishments as part of its network of operations.

Shah’s case has another striking peculiarity. The politician had been arrested and charged originally in April 2025, but he remained in office and later even managed to be re-elected to the municipal council. He will no longer be able to…

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