TRENTON, NJ – Fourteen people, including alleged members and associates of the Lucchese crime family, have been charged in what authorities describe as a multimillion-dollar illegal sports betting and money laundering operation run out of North Jersey.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced the charges Monday alongside the Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police, calling the case proof that “organized crime is not a relic of the past.”
The head of the operation, Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna, 55, of Fairfield, is accused of leading a sophisticated gambling network with the help of his sons, stepson, nephews, and other associates. Perna’s wife and ex-wife were also charged in related offenses.
Authorities say Lucchese-linked ring moved $2 million through gambling network
Investigators said the network operated from 2022 through 2024 and generated roughly $2 million in illegal gambling transactions. The ring allegedly ran a series of online and local sportsbooks managed by subordinate agents across New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida.
According to the state’s complaint, Perna acted as the financier, while his son, Joseph R. Perna, 25, of Oakland, handled day-to-day operations and coordinated dozens of agents, including relatives Anthony Perna, 23, and Frank Zito, 23, along with cousins Dominic Perna, 23, and Michael Cetta, 23.
Other defendants — including Tyler Schnorrbusch, Nicholas Raimo, Joseph Janish, William Medeiros, Spencer Speziale, and Devon Shuster — allegedly managed their own sportsbooks under the Perna network.
Family members also charged in related money laundering offenses
Authorities said Perna’s wife, Kim Zito, 53, of Fairfield, received payments tied to the illegal betting operation in late 2023. His ex-wife, Rosanna Magno, 52, of Oakland, allegedly attempted to conceal gambling ledgers from police during an April 2025 traffic stop.
Each defendant faces a range of charges including first-degree racketeering, money laundering, conspiracy, and gambling offenses.
Attorney General: Organized crime still exploiting gambling markets
Attorney General Platkin said the case illustrates how organized crime continues to adapt to modern forms of betting despite the rise of legalized sports gambling. “The locations and methods may have evolved,” Platkin said, “but illegal gambling remains a mainstay of organized crime.”
Division of Criminal Justice Director Theresa L. Hilton said the charges target a “sophisticated, multi-state betting enterprise” operating under the Lucchese organization, while Colonel Patrick J. Callahan of the New Jersey State Police said the takedown “sends a clear message” about the state’s commitment to dismantling such criminal networks.
Second Lucchese-linked gambling ring charged this year
The bust marks the second major case this year involving the Lucchese crime family in New Jersey. In April, 39 people — including a sitting Prospect Park councilman — were charged in a separate illegal gambling operation tied to the organization.
That case also is tiedf to the Luccheses’ alleged connection to a poker-rigging scheme that reportedly involved NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier.
Key Points
- Fourteen charged in $2 million Lucchese crime family sports betting and laundering case.
- Alleged ringleader Joseph “Little Joe” Perna accused of overseeing multi-state operation.
- Second major Lucchese-linked gambling ring dismantled in New Jersey this year.
