Illegal Sports Betting Ring Linked to Lucchese Family Member Busted in New Jersey
TRENTON, NJ – Members of the New Jersey State Police Port Investigation Unit have dismantled an illegal sports betting operation spanning Essex and Bergen counties, officials announced. The enterprise, active between 2022 and 2024, utilized offshore gambling websites to solicit bets from individuals, investigators said.
The operation is alleged to have transferred approximately $2 million in suspected gambling transactions. At its centre was Joseph M.”Little Joe” Perna, 55, identified as a soldier in the Lucchese crime family, who served as the “financier.” His son, Joseph R. Perna, 25, of Oakland, New Jersey, managed the daily operations of the sportsbook.
Other individuals implicated in the scheme include Anthony R. Perna, 23, also of Oakland; Frank Zito, 23, of Fairfield, New Jersey; Dominic Perna, 23, of Newark, New Jersey; and Michael Cetta, 23, of North Haledon, New Jersey – all relatives of Joseph M. Perna.
Additional co-defendants identified by officials are Tyler Schnorrbusch, 23, of Wyckoff, New Jersey; Nicholas Raimo, 25, of East hanover, new Jersey; Joseph Janish, 23, of North Caldwell, New Jersey; William medeiros, 22, of North Kingstown, rhode Island; Spencer Speziale, 22, of Wyckoff; and Devon Shuster, 28, of Gainesville, Florida.
Investigators also allege that Kim Zito, 53, of Fairfield, New jersey – Joseph M. Perna’s wife and Frank Zito’s mother – received payments from her son, Frank Zito, in November and December 2023, derived from the illegal gambling proceeds. Joseph Perna’s ex-wife, Rosanna Magno, 52, of Oakland, New Jersey, is accused of attempting to conceal gambling ledgers during a police stop in april 2025.
The investigation revealed the involvement of both current and former college athletes,though the specific schools and sports involved have not been disclosed.
The announcement follows closely on the heels of indictments last month involving dozens of defendants – including former NBA players and Mafia members – in separate cases concerning illegal sports betting and rigged poker games.
New Jersey Attorney general Matthew Platkin emphasized the continued relevance of organized crime, stating, “We may all think that the portrayal of organized crime we remember from movies and television shows and books no longer exists, but we are announcing charges today that allege it still does. despite the proliferation of legal betting of all kinds, gambling remains a mainstay of members and associates of organized crime. The locations and methods may have evolved, but illegal gambling - in this case, sports betting – remains a problem, and we will charge those who seek to profit from it.”
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has provided the names of attorneys representing Dominic Perna,Joseph R. Perna, Zito, Cetta, Schnorrbusch, and Janish.Dominic Perna’s attorney, Thomas Cataldo, stated on behalf of his client, “He denies all the allegations set forth in the Complaint. I don’t have enough information yet to comment on the evidence, other than to say he’s not guilty.”
statements from the remaining attorneys will be included as they become available.
