TRENTON, NJ – Fourteen individuals have been charged for their alleged roles in an organized crime-linked multimillion-dollar sports betting operation that investigators say spanned multiple states and was led by a member of the Lucchese crime family.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced the charges Thursday alongside the Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police following a months-long investigation into the illegal enterprise.
Authorities identified 55-year-old Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna of Fairfield as the alleged leader and financier of the operation, which is accused of handling more than $2 million in illicit gambling transactions between 2022 and 2024.
Key Points
- Fourteen people charged in a multimillion-dollar sports betting ring linked to organized crime.
- Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna of Fairfield identified as the alleged ringleader.
- The enterprise reportedly transferred about $2 million in illegal gambling proceeds.
Operation tied to Lucchese crime family
Prosecutors allege that Perna, a soldier in the Lucchese crime family, oversaw a sophisticated sports gambling network based in Essex and Bergen counties. His sons, stepson, nephews, and other associates allegedly acted as agents and bookmakers, managing subordinate sportsbooks under his direction.
The ring allegedly operated through a network of student athletes and other agents who facilitated betting activities and transferred proceeds to Perna and his co-conspirators.
Family members and associates among those charged
Those charged include Perna’s sons, Joseph R. Perna, 25, and Anthony Perna, 23, both of Oakland; his stepson Frank Zito, 23, of Fairfield; and his nephews Dominic Perna, 23, of Newark, and Michael Cetta, 23, of North Haledon.
Other alleged agents in the enterprise include Tyler Schnorrbusch of Wyckoff, Nicholas Raimo of East Hanover, Joseph Janish of North Caldwell, William Medeiros of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Spencer Speziale of Wyckoff, and Devon Shuster of Gainesville, Florida.
Perna’s wife, Kim Zito, 53, and ex-wife, Rosanna Magno, 52, both face separate charges — Zito for allegedly receiving illegal payments and Magno for allegedly attempting to conceal gambling ledgers during an April 2025 police stop.
State officials vow continued crackdown on illegal gambling
“Despite the proliferation of legal betting, gambling remains a mainstay of organized crime,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We are charging those who continue to profit from it.”
Division of Criminal Justice Director Theresa Hilton added that the defendants also face money laundering and racketeering charges. “We are committed to rooting out these illegal operations and protecting the public from becoming their victims,” she said.
Colonel Patrick J. Callahan of the New Jersey State Police called the case an example of the state’s “unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal networks that profit from corruption and greed.”
Investigation and prosecution details
The case was investigated by the NJSP Port Investigations Unit and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robert Anstatt under the supervision of Deputy Chief Kevin Long and Bureau Chief Brian Carney. Agencies assisting include the Tampa Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, FBI–Newark, and Gainesville Police Department.
Possible penalties
First-degree charges carry penalties of 10 to 20 years in state prison and fines up to $200,000, with first-degree money laundering offenses carrying fines as high as $500,000. Second-, third-, and fourth-degree charges carry additional potential prison terms ranging from 18 months to 10 years.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
