NJ Charges 14 in Lucchese-Linked Betting Ring

New Jersey authorities on Thursday announced charges against 14 individuals, including reputed members of the Lucchese crime family and several college athletes, for their alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar illegal sports betting operation spanning multiple states.

The scheme, which processed approximately $2 million in gambling transactions between 2022 and 2024, was led by Joseph M. "Little Joe" Perna, a 55-year-old Fairfield resident identified as a soldier in the Lucchese organized crime family. Prosecutors described Perna as the primary financier, while his son, Joseph R. Perna, 25, of Oakland, oversaw day-to-day operations from a base in Bergen County. The enterprise relied on a network of subordinate bookmakers and agents who used offshore websites to solicit bets, authorities said.

Among those charged were Perna's other son, Anthony R. Perna, 23, also of Oakland; his stepson, Frank Zito, 23, of Fairfield; and nephews Dominic Perna, 23, of Newark, and Michael Cetta, 23, of North Haledon. Additional defendants included Tyler Schnorrbusch, 23, of Wyckoff; Nicholas Raimo, 25, of East Hanover; Joseph Janish, 23, of North Caldwell; William Medeiros, 22, of North...