8 Plead Guilty in New Jersey Illegal Sports Betting + Poker Ring

On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, New Jersey officials announced that eight men had pleaded guilty to various crimes in connection with an underground gambling ring that allegedly has ties to the Lucchese crime family. The main types of illicit wagering taking place were online sports betting and live poker games.

Illegal Sportsbook Operations

Part of the illicit gambling involved bookies in the United States, known as “agents,” who would place action on behalf of ordinary gamblers on foreign websites. The agents were responsible for keeping track of bettors’ wins and losses and collecting the money owed. An agent’s group of allocated bettors was referred to as his “package.”

A portion of the profits from this sports betting was paid to high-level organizers of the operation. These higher-ups made business decisions and also employed certain methods of collecting overdue debts.

Underground Poker

The way the illegal poker games were organized was somewhat convoluted and involved multiple properties and personnel who handled different aspects of the enterprise. They may have been set up in this way to isolate and protect the top level of organizers from being charged with criminal activity.

There were at least four poker clubs, two of which operated out of the back of fully functional restaurants. Poker “hosts” were responsible for organizing the games, providing food and drink, inviting players, employing dealers, and handling the financial transactions required for the game to run. In some cases, the dealers, rather than receiving a salary, were “working off a prior gambling debt”!

The dealers raked a certain percentage of each pot, which went to the host. Also present at each game was a manager. He oversaw employees of the club and collected a fee, known as “rent,” from the host. These managers kicked a portion of the proceeds up the chain to their Lucchese overlords.

Besides poker games, these clubs also housed gambling machines. They were used to generate additional income from players who were waiting for a seat to open or were in between games.

About the Guity Pleaders

Of the eight individuals who recently pleaded guilty in connection with this illegal gambling case, three were identified as members of the Lucchese crime family. They are George Zappola, Joseph R. Perna, and John G. Perna. They each pleaded guilty to second-degree racketeering and face sentences of seven years in state prison.

Another man, Wayne D. Cross, was stated to be a “Lucchese associate.” He pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree promoting gambling and faces five years in state prison.

The other four individuals, their roles in the enterprises, the charges they agreed to, and their recommended sentences are as follows:

• Michael P. Frasso, 48, of Cedar Grove was an agent for the sportsbook, and he entered guilty pleas for second-degree racketeering (seven years’ imprisonment), third-degree failure to pay income tax (three years’ imprisonment), and third-degree corporate misconduct (five years’ imprisonment).
• Frank Imparato, 46, of Florham Park was a poker club manager who pleaded guilty to third-degree conspiracy and faces a recommended sentence of 4 years’ imprisonment.
• Joseph Grossweiler, 41, of Florham Park was a sub-agent for the sportsbook and a poker club manager. He pleaded to one count of third-degree conspiracy to promote gambling and faces recommended probation for 364 days.
• Peter Norcia, 50, of Toms River was an agent for the sportsbook. He pleaded guilty to third-degree conspiracy to promote gambling and faces a recommended sentence of four years’ imprisonment.

In addition, there were three companies that were used by some of the defendants to funnel their illicit profits. Café Gio, Frasson Trucking, and CJW Development and Consulting each pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy and had to pay a fine of $250,000.

Many Others Caught

These eight defendants are only a small part of a case that has resulted in 42 indictments since the first arrests began in April 2025. 27 Others have previously pleaded guilty while charges remain pending against another seven suspects.

Raids were conducted by multiple agencies at 12 locations in Northern New Jersey in early April 2025. They led to dozens of arrests, including that of Anand Shah, a 42-year-old Prospect Park Councilman who was charged with racketeering, gambling, money laundering, conspiracy, maintaining a gambling establishment, and engaging in wrongful credit practices. In October 2025, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.

This criminal enterprise was so extensive and contained so many moving parts that the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General produced a chart of the major participants and their roles in the gambling ring:

Organization of the Northern New Jersey Illegal Gambling Ring

The prosecutions followed a lengthy investigation that was conducted by the New Jerey State Police with assistance from the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Federal Probation, and the Department of Corrections Special Operations Group.

Authorities Weigh In

Breaking up such a sophisticated crime ring isn’t something that happens every day, and so various prominent persons connected with the case made public comments about it. Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said:

The guilty pleas we accepted today represent another important step in dismantling this criminal enterprise and holding the individuals involved accountable. Organized crime has no place in New Jersey. For decades, the Attorney General’s Office has been a leader in rooting out organized crime in New Jersey, and we continue to play that important role to keep New Jersey safe.

Acting New Jersey State Police Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle elaborated:

By pleading guilty, the defendants have formally accepted responsibility for participating in a criminal enterprise that caused significant harm to individuals and communities. Illegal gambling operations exploit vulnerable people, money laundering fuels further criminal activity, and racketeering networks undermine the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. This outcome is a direct result of the exceptional work of State Police detectives, whose ability to trace the financial trails, uncover the enterprise’s structure, and follow the evidence wherever it led built a comprehensive and compelling case. Their work not only brought those responsible to justice but also reinforces our ongoing commitment to protecting the public and safeguarding the integrity of our communities.

History of the Lucchese Crime Family

The Lucchese crime family is one of the New York Mafia’s Five Families. It’s active in the New York metropolitan area, including Long Island, Westchester County, and New Jersey, and has been around in one form or another since the 1920s.

The roots of the current Lucchese presence in New Jersey date back to the 1930s. After several years of dysfunction in the Newark Family, the Commission decided in 1937 to disband it while declaring Newark to be an open city in which any Mafia family could freely operate. This led to the institution of the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family also known as the “Jersey Crew.”

The Jersey Crew started to be decimated by a series of law enforcement actions starting in 2007 when 32 members and associates were arrested on charges related to money laundering, racketeering, and gambling. In 2010, another 34 were arrested on similar charges.

Joseph Perna, Capo of the Jersey Crew of the Lucchese Crime Family

The current boss of the Jersey Crew is Joseph R. “Big Joe” Perna. However, since his arrest for racketeering and gambling offenses, his cousin Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna has been acting caporegime.

The entire Luchese family, led by Vittorio “Little Vic” Amuso, reputedly had 121 “made” members as of 2021. The New Jersey faction historically consisted of about 50 made men, but with the recent arrests, it’s not clear how many remain active.

The DiMeo crime family featured in HBO’s “The Sopranos” is supposedly based on the real life Jersey Crew. Tony Soprano corresponds closely to real mobster Michael Taccetta.

Play Online to Avoid Shady Games

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You can learn more about SwC by reading this informative SwCPoker review. If you’d like to find out about poker in the Garden State, peruse this New Jersey offshore poker guide. If you reside elsewhere in the United States, then this page devoted to online poker for Americans might interest you.

June 27, 2026 – by Max Golden, Editor-in-Chief