A councilman for New York’s Prospect Park has been indicted on 18 fees associated to an unlawful playing ring.
Council President Anand Shah has been indicted on 18 fees associated to allegedly collaborating in an unlawful playing ring, together with a number of counts of cash laundering and racketeering within the first diploma and second diploma fees of official misconduct, extortion, and third-degree tampering with public information. Readwrite has contacted the New Jersey Lawyer Basic’s Workplace to substantiate whether or not the indictment fees are right.
Shah is about to finish his third time period as a Democrat councilman, whereas at present searching for help for one more three-year council time period forward of the overall election on November 4. Based on his lawyer, Michael DeMarco, Shah intends to defend his innocence.
The councilman is scheduled to seem in entrance of state Superior Court docket Choose Ralph Amirata in Morristown on October 24 for his post-indictment arraignment, the place he’s anticipated to formally enter his plea. After being arrested again in April, Shah was held on the Morris County jail for seven weeks earlier than being granted launch by a decide.
The councilman’s alleged involvement within the unlawful playing ring
The alleged unlawful playing ring is claimed to have hosted unlicensed poker video games and used an abroad sportsbook to position unlicensed sports activities bets. These actions are alleged to have introduced in a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars}, laundered by way of shell firms.
Allegations have been introduced in opposition to 42 defendants, together with Shah and members of the Lucchese crime household. A 78-page indictment doc outlines the entire fees in opposition to all of the co-defendants.
Immediately we’ve charged 39 folks, together with a sitting councilman. The message is evident – we’re bringing each useful resource to bear to crack down on violent criminals, together with organized crime.
If you happen to break the regulation, in case you damage New Jersey, you can be delivered to justice. pic.twitter.com/AgjjlEOQgY
— Lawyer Basic Matt Platkin (@NewJerseyOAG) April 11, 2025
When it comes to what punishment Shah might face if discovered responsible, the second-degree misconduct cost alongside might end in a 10-year jail sentence, whereas others might result in substantial fines.
Different allegations levelled in opposition to Shah within the doc embrace: claiming that the councilman “threatened to inflict bodily harm” on “a number of victims” owed cash from the playing actions; allegedly falsifying a monetary disclosure assertion; and never paying gross revenue taxes, a third-degree crime, for six straight years between April 2019 and 2025.
In July, Shah wrote on Fb that he had been launched from Morris County Jail on Might 30, following his detention since April 9, 2025. His Lawyer Michael P. DeMarco, Esq. stated in an announcement on the time: “Mr. Shah is deeply grateful for the Appellate Division’s determination and eagerly anticipates his day in court docket, the place he’ll vigorously defend in opposition to the State’s fees and clear his beforehand unblemished title and popularity.”
Featured picture: Anand Shah through Fb
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