Prospect Park Council President Anand Shah Faces Massive Legal Turmoil Ahead of Election Day
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Prospect Park NJ, the political world in Prospect Park, NJ, has been rocked by an explosive 78-page indictment against Council President Anand Shah. Shah, a sitting Democrat nearing the end of his third term, is now facing 18 serious charges, including multiple counts of money laundering and racketeering in the first degree.
The stunning revelation comes just weeks before the November 4th General Election, where Shah is actively seeking support from voters for another three-year term on the council. This major development throws a massive cloud over the local election and raises serious questions about public trust and political corruption in New Jersey.
The Charges: Official Misconduct and Mob-Tied Gambling
The state grand jury indictment, handed down on September 19, details a wide array of alleged criminal activity linked to an organized, mob-tied gambling syndicate. Key charges against Councilman Shah include:
- First-Degree Racketeering: The most severe charge, suggesting involvement in an organized criminal enterprise.
- Second-Degree Official Misconduct: Allegedly using illegal gambling proceeds and/or debts to fund campaigns for office and re-election. This charge alone carries a potential 10-year state prison sentence.
- Second-Degree Theft by Extortion: Shah allegedly “threatened to inflict bodily injury” on “multiple victims” who owed money from the illegal gambling activities between November 2020 and April of this year.
- Third-Degree Tampering with Public Records: Allegedly falsifying his required financial disclosure statement by “omitting income.”
- Tax Evasion: Failure to pay gross income taxes for six straight years, beginning in April 2019.
The Gambling Syndicate: Lucchese Family Ties and Shell Companies
Authorities claim to have dismantled a sophisticated betting ring that was operating in the backrooms of seemingly legitimate businesses, including cafés in Garfield and Woodland Park.
- Operation: The syndicate allegedly hosted unlicensed poker games and used an overseas sportsbook to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- Money Laundering: The illicit cash was reportedly funneled through shell companies to launder the illegal gains.
- Co-Conspirators: The conspiracy allegedly involves 42 people, including members of the notorious Lucchese crime family.
Shah was initially arrested in April for his alleged role and was held at the Morris County jail for seven weeks before being released on strict conditions.
The Political Standoff: Arraignment and Election Day
Despite the severity of the charges, Shah’s attorney, Michael DeMarco, maintained his client’s innocence on October 10th. “We’re going to continue to vigorously defend,” DeMarco stated, adding that they “look forward to having our day in court.”
Council President Shah is scheduled for a post-indictment arraignment on October 24th before state Superior Court Judge Ralph Amirata in Morristown, where he will formally enter a plea.
With the arraignment just days away from a crucial election, voters in Prospect Park are left to grapple with an unprecedented political scandal that threatens to overshadow their democratic process.
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I hope someone looks into the Ridgewood village Council, Mayor and Village manager to see where all of the millions and millions of dollars of grant money they get actually go.